My little 9-year-old, Cali, is getting a little big for her britches. Several weeks ago I had to correct her for something trivial and as I walked her back to her classroom, she asked if I was mad at her. I gently explained that I will never be mad at her because I'm her friend, and that just because I tell her what to do occasionally doesn't mean I'm angry. She seemed fine with it.

Since then she's mentioned more than once that something happened at home that she can't share with me because it's inappropriate. I think those are probably mom's words and not hers, but I've been unable to crack her. And now her behavior is getting a little out of hand. She really wants to be the boss of me but that's just not gonna happen. I guess I need to speak with her teacher, which is probably part of my job as mentor. I prefer lollipops and roses, but will bite the bullet before next week.