GMA:Children Who Lose Stuff

ByABC News via logo
January 30, 2001, 7:21 PM

Jan. 31 -- Every week Good Morning Americas parenting contributer Anne Pleshette Murphy answers e-mail questions from GMA viewers. Read on for solutions to everyday parental problems.

Q U E S T I O N: My 11-year-old daughter seems to lose things quite often. She just recently entered middle school and since then has lost a calculator, nice watch, rings, soccer ball, basketball, team visor, etc.

The visor and soccer ball have since been retrieved. In addition, she often forgets to complete tasks at home like her chores. We do give her an allowance for the minimal amount of chores she needs to complete (less than 5 minutes per day).

Some say we don't give her enough. She has a 7-year-old brother who also gets his fair share of chores. The losing and forgetting is getting worse.

We have tried everything from taking certain freedoms away to rewarding the good behaviors.

She is an excellent student. Her midterms currently reflect "A's" in all of her subjects. So, we know she is intelligent.

I work part time, my husband works about 60 hours per week. Lauren is involved in fast-pitch softball and soccer right now.

I need help. Not only does it boggle my mind she can be like this, it is getting rather expensive. We bought her the watch and calculator, the basketball and soccer ball. I need help and advice. I hope you can help.

Thank you.

Karen in Pittsburgh

A N S W E R:Before you single out your daughter as a "loser," check out her school's lost-and-found. Chances are it's overflowing with the belongings of her fellow middle school students.

That's often because kids her age are in the throes of several big transitions to a bigger, more-demanding school; to more peer pressure and an intensified social scene; and to changes in their own bodies, which can be pretty overwhelming. As you point out, she's doing really well in school, and she has a full load of after-school activities. She's a busy kid.