Hopping mad

I was on the way out of my home a few moments ago to go find something to do to pass time until a meeting at 4pm. I decided that I wanted to use one of my light jackets because the weather has turned delightfully cool here in Goose Creek. The temperature inside is 75 F without the air or heater running which means it is aroun 65 F outside. Anyway, I asked Katy where my light jackets are located since I have not been able to find them. Katy was napping on the couch but she told me she would help me go into the kids rooms to find them. What a mistake that was folks. Good grief, talk about a nuclear melt down. Katy found her good leather coat in Justin's closet underneath a pile of junk. Well, anyway, lets just say I had to open up a can of whup A$$ on both of the kids today. We have told them a THOUSAND times that we EXPECT them to keep their rooms clean and in order. What does it take for them to get it through their thick skulls that we mean business when we talk to them. I HATE to use the belt on my children but today they have pushed us both to the limits.
It was just last night that I had a sit down conversation with the children. We had one of those "lets get to know one another" type of conversations. I gave the children the opportunity to tell me those things about dear ole Dad that bothered them and might be hindering their ability to have a relationship with me and/or keep them from doing what is expected of them. Believe it or not, after about 45 minutes of my coaxing them to share they sat down and gave me a list of "issues" that I can address to make things easier for them. Ok, fair enough, I wrote down the list of infractions, apologized to them for them and promised I would work on these issues. I asked them if my doing that would help them with regards to them allowing me to get close and/or their willingness to do what is expected of them. Oh yes, sir. That will help us alot. So, kewl, I figured that we had a successful discourse on stuff. Now this. I guess we can just talk ourselves until we are blue in the face and they are going to just do whatever it is they think they can get away with.
We have tried talking until we are blue in the face and we have tried taking away priveleges. I was HOPING upon hope that this would solve the problem. Take away priveleges they like and then they will straighten up and fly right. Instead it appears that what they do is just only do those things that are immediately obvious to us and then behind our backs get away with anything and everything they can. I know that teenagers like to push the limits but when it comes down to downright disobedience and being disrespctful I am going to have to draw the line.
Well, that is about it for now. Hopefully this experience will show them that we mean business and that they can expect us to enforce discipline on them if they choose to be disobedient.