My daughter is 11 and is in 6th grade. During the past 2 1/2 years she has exhibited significant distratedness. This not only extends to her school work but also to home life (messy bedroom, not picking up after herself, etc.) Most recently I received a call from her dance teacher who expressed concern that she isn't "with the program". She loves dance and so I'm very surprised about it. Moreover, the teacher says she is a distraction to the class, refuses to keep her hair pulled back and no longer works hard. She is an average student but there again - unpredictable. She usually gets a couple As in one subject, Bs in 2 or 3 others and a C or D in the remaining. The following semester she will have the same composite but in different subjects (i.e., A in spelling then D in spelling). She is a very happy child with many interests and many friends. She is very talented - both with dance but also musically and in art. She plays piano, flute and cello. My frustration comes from trying unsuccessfully to keep her on track. I usually have to tell her 3 - 4 times to do something and most of the time it is not done properly. Instead of putting clothes away she shoves them under her bed. Alternatively she lies about completed tasks. She'll say she brushed her teeth but the toothbrush is dry - and she knows I'll check!! She says she didn't take something and 'lo and behold it's in her backpack. Every day I have to check to make sure she's brought certain things home or to school (i.e., musical instrument) and yet EVERY DAY she misses the same things! She has taken things from me (money, tools) even though she knows I'll get angry. Consequences mean nothing to her. Sending her to her room is like an offer to create another mess. She turns the most miserable situation into an enchanting adventure for herself. Withholding allowance usually results in cash missing from my wallet. I hate to withhold dance because she is truly gifted and talented in this area, and yet, even if I do, she occupies that time with some other creative foray. I've tried grounding and while she is miserable for a time (which satisfies me!) she seems to rebound from it immediately. On the positive side she is rarely in a bad mood and is the turnaround queen in terms of anger or frustration. She views herself as being in the smart class (I don't really think this is true but hey - perception is often reality!) She is extremely kind to others, and this usually includes her 8 year old brother. She likes school and her other activities, including church. Is this just a maturation issue or am I missing something. Any recommendations on how to get her focused, in tune, on time and with the program????