I Am That Mom

Dad left this morning so Numi was free to play all night at the pool! We took the Little Mr. and Ms. Erises and some dinner up around 5:30, looking forward to the quiet mostly adolescent-free environment that is the pool after the lifeguard leaves at 6. You see, with no lifeguard, you can only stay at the pool if you are 18 or older or with a parent. This leaves very few teenagers. yay!

Not tonight. Five kids stayed (one of whom was 18, the rest were 15-ish) and they proceeded to wrestle and play chicken in 75% of the shallow end. The little kids in the pool were banished to a little corner, lest they risk being swallowed up in the wrestling match or crushed by a falling chicken. Numi and I were more than a bit frustrated.

Then it happened. Little and Littlest Ms. Eris were floating around and ended up about a foot away from the melee. I got up and went to the side of the pool and started yelling at the kids:

Eris: "You guys have to calm it down. Stop being so rough! There are little kids in the pool and you are going to hurt one of them."

Snotty teenager: "We weren't going to land on them!"

Eris: "I'm sure you don't think so, but you were a foot away from them. Now calm it down!"

Snotty teenager: "Ok, but.."

Eris: "No but! Settle down or get out of the pool!"

Snotty teenager: "Ok, but..."

Eris: "No! No but! Settle down or get out of the pool before someone gets hurt!"

Snotty teenager: silence followed by quiet grumbling with his friends.

Then they left and Little Mr. Eris thanked me for embarrassing him and pretty much guaranteeing that he will never be asked to play shark again. Yes, I am the Mom that yells at your acquaintances and ensures you will be a social pariah for the rest of the summer. Send condolences to Little Mr.

PS - Happy Birthday, Athena!!