Why Mommy Yells

"No yelling, mommy," Oliver called out from the back of the van. "Oliver don't like it the yelling. Be happy!"

Oliver, it's hard to explain why I was yelling, but let me try. I was yelling at Wesley because he wouldn't stay in his car seat, and I was pulling the van over to climb back there and re-seat him.

Why wasn't he properly seatbelted? I didn't snap the part between his legs, because his parts between the legs were bare.

Why was he bare? Because he peed on his pants and socks and they had turned freezing in the night winter air.

Why didn't I help him go potty? Because at that point we were still inside the YMCA where I was pinching Oliver's bloody nose while he screamed, and at the same time trying to mop up his blood off the floor and thanking the stranger who was watching Max for me.

How did Oliver get a bloody nose? Because Max ran away from the YMCA play area and Oliver offered to "help catch Max", which involved tackling Max to the ground. That was fine, other than Max screaming, until Oliver ran back to the play area and bonked his face into a metal barrier, causing the nose bleed.

Why was Max running away? Because he had already been reprimanded twice by lifeguards in the pool (for running on deck), and he was continuing to test the boundaries of running at the Y.

Why did you bother taking them to the pool? Because sometimes it's fun. This time it involved lifeguard interventions and two big slips under the water for Max. He won't hold my hand and runs away from me in the pool, and then falls under and needs rescue.

Why didn't you start yelling sooner? Now that's the best question yet.