The drive to school this morning was eerily quiet. It was my fault. I haven't screamed at my children like a banshee in a very, very long time. Sometimes, screaming like a wailing woman warning of your death is the best policy, though. Please make note of the sarcasm in my tone there. It never is.
I was putting the rest of my laundry into their piles before taking the kids to school. They were getting a little rowdy and I looked up to see them starting to encourage the dog to romp all over my Stampin' Up! orders. I really don't know what was going through their heads, but yep. I. Lost. It. They are lucky nothing is damaged because I don't have $$$ to replace all of that merchandise. "Get away from that stuff and get in the car!" are the only words I uttered after the wail of terror. They ran to the car. I hurt Kaleb's feelings because he was coming down the stairs and had nothing to do with it, but he still got a very harsh "Get in the car, now!" I was more repeating it for his brothers, but it was for him, too.
When I got in the car myself, I explained to them in as calm of a voice that I could muster at that moment (at least I wasn't yelling any more), that those things were my customers' orders and if they ruined them, I would probably kill them (I didn't use those exact words. I left out the kill them part, but I can't remember exactly what I said). Kaleb said, "I didn't do anything." And I said, "Then I am not talking to you."
Thus the silence (usually it's fighting). They were actually listening to me and taking me seriously for a change. People think I am exaggerating when I tell them my boys only listen to their dad, but I'm not. I ask them to do something and everyday, they ignore me, or pretend like they didn't hear me.
But screaming like that has consequences that I do not enjoy (most of them selfish), so I try to avoid it at all costs. Today, I lost. Tomorrow, I get to try again. So do my kids. ;)
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