Same Old Song and Dance.

Today has been a tough day. I've got all 4 kids home (Sam has no school today, Kristen is sick, Emma and Brandon have no exams) and we're having a snowstorm. So.....let's just say it's been cozy here at home today......

I've noticed that Brandon is spending an awful lot of time with Alex lately. He's a nice kid and he has a nice family, but it concerns me that Brandon wants to spend every waking moment with him AND he neglects his responsibilities at home. So yesterday I told him that he's not allowed to hang out with Alex at his house or ours until he has found a part-time job. It was quite obvious that he thought I was kidding because this morning I heard him tell Emma that he would be hanging out with Alex this afternoon.

"No you're not," I said. He asked me WHY. I asked him, "Do you have a job yet?" Noooooo..... So I reiterated the rule about NOT hanging with Alex 'til he has a job. Do you know what he said to me? Do you want to know what that snot-nosed a**hole said to me?

"Then you have to drive me to look for a job."

S'cuse me?!!? I don't let anybody tell me what to do and I wasn't gonna start with him! So, I gave him $3 and told him to get on the bus and go to a certain Tim Horton's (Emma's friend works there and was expecting him) and to Harvey's and McDonald's. About an hour later he calls me from Alex's HOUSE. I asked him, "Did you find a job in an hour??" and he says, "No. But I just came to pick up Alex to go with me." Sooooo. Now I'm STEAMING. I can literally feel the heat radiating from my ears I'm so FREAKIN' MAD. And I also felt so angry at myself for expecting anything but this from Brandon. So, I hopped in the van and drove to Alex's to pick him up. And now he hates me even more than he did this morning.

So what now? He has failed Geography (he says he doesn't care), he refuses to get a job (I even made his resume), he doesn't want to be at home (he says he's tired of fighting), he smokes (he swears he doesn't anymore, but, well, he lies) and today I told him if he doesn't like the rules here, I can't stop him from leaving....but then I told him if he leaves I'll call the police and they will take him away and put him in a Foster Home (he says that he would like that better) (THEN HE SAID HE WAS CALLING HIS DAD- HA! Go ahead......)

Hate to sound like a broken record here, but I really am lost. Help.