Why Do I Have to Yell?

What am I talking about? Well I (and my wife) have found that if we ask nicely not much happens. For instance when it is morning time and everyone is getting ready to go... everyone but the Songbird that is. We tell her and tell her and tell her, get ready, put on your shirt, pants, socks, shoes... blah, blah, blah. She rarely if ever moves right away. But if I raise my voice, magic happens. It almost gets done before I finish yelling it.

It is the same when talking to the Teenager. I'll be saying clean your room, or do your laundry, or take your dog outside... and nothing happens. If I belt out loudly, things happen. Suddenly the heavens part, a bright light shines and miraculously... what I told her in the beginning is done. Even Augustus does this, but in her defense, tiny kids like her are supposed to do this, it is how they learn. But when I'm already running into static from the other two, it just makes me crazy.

I've become a cranky, old, simpleton. I don't want to yell, really I don't. So this goes out to all of the people in Publix, I know I might look or sound mean, when I yell at my kids, but in reality, I'm just seeking peace for everyone. And someone is making the baby cry, so I try to fix that by yelling at the culprit (Songbird), then while I am distracted by the culprit (Songbird) one of the others baby or teenager does something else to make me mad and then I try to deal with that and someone else does something.... it is a viscous cycle, and it never ends. At least I don't think so, it hasn't ended yet.

I just want to live in peace and quiet and maybe I screwed up thinking I could get that with kids around... But really I'm not a total asshole.