ugh

I am at my wit's end w/ the 7 yo lately. I am this [] close to being accused of child abuse. Okay, not really. I could never do more than threaten bodily harm. And even that is limited to those "if you were me & you had my parents, you'd have such a sore bottom right now" kind of speeches. It's been a very trying last couple days. Don't know what it is. Or rather, why it is. Growing pains? Testing her boundaries/my limits? (yeah the very outer limits of my sanity) Problems at school manifesting in ugly forms at home? I am seriously considering sending her to a different school. I've always wanted to send my kids to catholic school. With this one, it's almost a necessity. I can't stand to listen to one more complaint about "there's nothing to wear" when her dresser is FULL of clothes that she's insisted on having. I think the mandatory uniform policy would be wonderful. At this point, though, I've given up on that idea & have moved on to the military school option. I kid you not. It has been that bad. Just total disregard & disrespect. Selfishness beyond belief. Hurtful, spiteful, downright mean spirited behavior. I fear you will see us on Dr Phil or some such daytime t.v. dramarama in the not too distant future. You know the episode "good kids gone bad". Or "parents who are afraid of their children". Or "Boot camp for brats". Something along that vein. Maybe it will be SuperNanny. Of course it will be all my fault (thank you dr. freud). It couldn't possibly be inherent in her personality. Punishment doesn't work. Ever. She's too big for spanking. (yes she is...she's as big as the eldest daughter was at 9 yrs -almost as tall as me). Rewards work sometimes. What_is_the_deal?????? Seriously, maybe therapy. At 7, for crying out loud. Now I know what my parents went through -with my brother (not me, sheesh). And if I have to hear one more time about how much she hates school, doesn't care about school, doens't want to go to school, I will send her to the nearest 3rd world country to see what exactly she's taking for granted. Oh yeah, and she's "running away" -about every day. That's the other thing. I have this sinking feeling that this kid will be the one to experiment w/ drugs/alcohol/cigarettes/running away, etc etc etc. I don't want to curse her w/ the pygmalian effect, but it's a worry in the back of my mind. I mean, I don't "expect" her to end up like that. Heavens, I EXPECT her to behave a lot better than she does now; but I can see little signs in her personality that lead me to think that is how she will be as a pre/teenager. So, how to nip it in the bud now?!? That is my short prayer tonight. That and an extra dose of patience.