We have Rules.

I know it's a shocking idea, but we have rules in my house. Why my daughter thinks summertime means free for all living- I don't know!

Yesterday was my baby boy's birthday. When I got home from work- he and my daughter were over a friend's house playing. My husband and I took the time to run and get him a couple presents to have for today as we're having his party on Sunday. It was nice to spend a little time with Jeff and actually talk about things. Then we picked up the kids and took them to our favorite restaurant. Then we picked up our nephew and headed home. This is where things go wrong.

First, it was still raining lightly and the boys wanted to go outside. It was late and I didn't want a mud mess in my house. Plus we hadn't sung Happy Birthday yet. One disappointment diverted. But after we sung Happy Birthday and passed around the cheesecake (my son's favorite) my son decided to smash his face into the cake. I had been telling him no, that he could do it on Sunday but not tonight. Well, his cousin had been telling him to do it anyway and he succumbed to peer pressure. Because it was cheesecake, it didn't make much of a mess, but he still got it in his hair and thus needed a shower.

Then, as I was doing laundry and hanging my new shower caddy - SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT. I heard noise in my bedroom. The boys were in there jumping on my bed. My kids know that they are not allowed to play in my room. So my husband and I told the boys to play a board game or build legos, etc. Of course, my nephew didn't like any of those. Unfortunately, he is allowed to do whatever he wants as his mother works all the time and when she is home she lays around the house. There are no rules as it is easier to just let him do what he wants as long as she is not bothered. But that's not acceptable in my house even though he tries to get my children to play the way he wants. When my children suggest playing games and doing things they know are allowed he says no. It's always a struggle when he comes to our house.

Then to top it off, Paige's one friend also doesn't follow any rules in her house as far as using the phone. She calls our house late at night for Paige and we've told her numerous times to call before 10pm (summer rule). Last night she called at 10:45 pm and I nicely explained to her that it was too late and Paige would call her in the morning. That set Paige off! She cried all night that it was summertime and what does it matter..blah blah blah. My husband and I think that letting her talk on the phone till 10 pm is lenient. She's 10. What can you possibly talk about that late at night? This on top of the fact that the boys decided that running around the house up and down the stairs was a good game. I looked at my husband in disbelief. 10:45pm- you are to be in bed watching tv or sleeping- summer time or not! My kids are in bed by 9 during the school year and 10 in the summer. My son is usually asleep way earlier and it's my daughter that could stay up all night.

So again, I was not the Mother of the Year last night. And as usual I had to hear how terrible it was to live in our house. And my usual comment- you only got 7 yrs left till college- tough it out!!