Summertime is getting tricky...

Ok, so the kids have been out of school for a while now, and I'm learning summertime is tricky with 4 kids in the house. They can't agree on what to play, they fight, and really misbehave...and they feed off each other. When one misbehaves the next does too...and so on, and they get each other all wound up. This makes summertime motherhood challenging.

On Wednesday I was SO excited to go to the pool with the kids, but the were so sassy and disobedient I had to take it away...so no pool. I have found that the pool is my biggest bargaining chip...so I use it.

Today I had to go to the chiropractor and last time I had the kids there they were AWFUL...riling up the dog (yes, they have their super sweet dog in the office...the kids love it!), dumping toys everywhere, fighting over the awesome chalkboard wall space, etc. Today before we set foot in the door I laid down my expectations...we were going to divide up the chalkboard space, they were to pet the dog only when they were sitting, and they were all to help pick up any mess Maggie made. It worked, like a charm. They were SO well behaved...I was quite proud of them and promised we could go to the pool this afternoon as a reward.

So then we were off to the library, again, I had exemplary behavior from the fab four (well, Maggie was a bit of a pistol, but 3/4 isn't bad!). I had time to help everyone find the books they wanted, the kids turned in their summer reading logs and got their goodie bag as a prize. It went well, Maggie started to melt down so we left.

In their goodie bags they each got a coupon for a free bowl of noodles from Noodles & Company. Well, it was lunchtime and they were excited to use their coupons, and they were being SOOOOO good, I figured it was a great day for it...since they were on their best behavior and all. I'm sure you can see where this is going....

We are eating lunch at noodles, around the big oval table big enough to seat at least eight people. Maggie tells me she has to go to the bathroom (she's been potty training somewhat)...I figured I couldn't NOT take her when she was telling me she had to go, and since the others were being so good I could leave them for a minute while I ran to the bathroom with Maggie.

So I take Maggie, she willingly sits on a PUBLIC TOILET (those that have potty trained know what a big accomplishment this can be), she didn't go, but we washed hands and head back out.

I round the corner to see another woman talking to my children, Charlotte in tears, and Mason with his tattle face on. I didn't wait to hear the story...I politely thanked the other woman for intervening and not letting my children create any more of a scene, and told the kids to get in the van. Apparently they were fighting about not having enough space and trying to decide who needed to move. Remember, this table was big enough to seat EIGHT, and there are my 7 and 6 year old fighting over space...and ISAAC (at barely 4 years old) was telling them to stop fighting. Aggghhh!!

These kids never cease to surprise me in so many ways! Gotta love 'em!!

P.S. Mason and Charlotte had some significant time in their rooms when we got home, Isaac got to take out bonus marbles for being the one to behave nicely and telling them to stop fighting...and Maggie did poop on the toilet :)