I remember playing with marbles. I remember getting a new bag and dumping them out. (This obsession kids have with dumping things is perhaps one of the most irritating things for the parent). I remember them rolling away in different directions and I used both hands and quickly to scooped them back to center. I liked this. Laughing and trying hard to keep them contained. This is the way the summer started. Enjoying and feeling rather successful in keeping my marbles contained. Not loosing a one. Perhaps i was too confident taking credit where credit wasn't due. Perhaps the novelty of summer has worn off, for all of us. The competing for my attention, who's first, who's last, the endless questions and scads of dramatic outbursts exclaiming, "UH, MAMA LOOK A TRACTOR! DO YOOU KNOW HOW TO GET TO GRAMMY'S? And, Screams that would make you think someone had lost a limb or an eye but, instead someone touched someone else or player two is not minding player one. Remember, my siblings were older. I had no one to fight with or share with. This unfamiliar life of sibling bickering is reminding me of those damn marbles but, not nearly as much fun. Not nearly. Each time we get in or out of the car I feel like I'm frantically trying to keep order. More like I'm a nasty drill sargent than smiley, happy Mom. Yesterday i was particularly stymied by the antics in the car and, texted a good friend. (not while driving, duh!) I wanted to text, "HOW THE #!?@&$ DO YOU GET THEM TO BEHAVE IN THE CAR WHEN YOU CAN'T STOP OR TURN THE &@$!?! AROUND?" Actually that may have been how I said it. If not, the passion and cursing were certainly implied. Her suggestion was to explain WHY you have to be quiet and still in the car. Driver safety and all. Why didn't I think of that? So, being the one to take it one step passed acceptable I gently, calmly and with my super serious mom eyes, explained car safety. And to really drive the point home I added a horrible story about distracted drivers and exactly why you need to shut the hell up and let Uh, Mama drive. Drama always works for me, why not them? I put my seatbelt on today because of that poor guy in the drivers ed video. Next couple of trips in the car were golden. I'm so happy about that and kind of proud I feel like I should get some comp time or something. Next we're all over The Boy Who Cried Wolf. That's a story that can't be told enough.
Don't know how I missed reading this when you first posted...but better late than never. I see you got NO suggestions so I'll add a word or two. Stop the car each and every time when the commotion gets started...you can be late to whereever you were going. They will catch on and you get to act like you don't care if you ever get there.
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