Battling Brats

I have 2 daughters - 16months apart in age and for the last 6 months I can't leave them alone in a room without World War III looming large.

Now they both have major attitudes on them, but the eldest is driving me to distraction. She is lazy and bolshy, constantly accusing people of 'put-downers' if they mention any of her weaknesses. Now don't get me wrong she is a clever little miss, but if I don't constantly check and then nag, she either doesn't do her school work, or she spends 5minutes doing the minimum to scrape by. That coupled with a complete unwillingness to help at all around the house (no dusting, picking up after herself, tidying her own room etc) leaves me spitting mad much of the time.

The little one is cunning, and I think she is using the situation to her advantage. It is not difficult when her sister is doing her best to remind me of an orc or other fantasy denizen from the dark side. To balance this I have caught my little paradigm of virtue stealing, lying and fighting in the past 12 month. She just has more sense than to fight me ....... most of the time.

So what is the answer - well I don't know, but I have decided to try some serious discipline before it is too late. My 4-point plan is:

1. Privileges are earned not a right. This means both children are currently grounded
2. Chores must be done or there will be punishment. Currently I am giving them chores (like cleaning their room) in 1-2hour chunks they are then given until I get home from work to complete them (at least 8 hours) otherwise they get punished. The chores are very clearly defined for them to avoid the shifting of junk from one place to another
3. Each child has a project to complete during the holidays - eldest has 100pages to do on France as she is going their in September with the school, if she doesn't do it I will take £1 off her spending money for every page under 100 (so she is now trying to negotiate additional money if she exceeds 100, to be honest that will depend on the quality of the work). The youngest only has 50pages on fashion to do, there is no punishment, but I think she will actually really enjoy it (and so does she)
4. Mom vouchers - rather than giving them money they earn vouchers with the vouchers being worth either cash or money towards trips (1.5 x the cash value). This will reduce the way they spend all their money on sweets and also hopefully make them appreciate all the trips they get to go on. 

Hopefully this will have the desired effect. The eldest is also being referred to a behaviour specialist by the doctor as the school think she might be Aspergers.

Finally to finish this on a happier note both daughters are currently engaged in a ceasefire while making jam tarts. (or they were - got to fly the bullets have started again).