In the past 20 minutes, all hell has broken loose in my household.  Now, I never cuss on this blog but I can think of no other word to describe it that is more accurate, so I sincerely apologize to anyone who is offended!

It all started as I was finishing the dishes.  I turned around to see Katie hooked to the end of a retractable dog leash and Sarah standing, with the fully extended line, yelling at the “doggy” to go.  I told them both to put the leash down or they were going to be in big trouble.

They did not listen, and in fact, laughed at each other and started to play again.  I turned off the water to head that way to take the leash and send them both to time out when I hear a smack and a scream, followed by that all dreaded silence.  I looked at Sarah and she is holding the back of her knee in the silent cry.

I rush over and right as she starts to scream in pain, I look and see that, indeed, the line of the leash had caught the back of her knee and seared the skin enough to bleed.  It was swelling badly and she was screaming uncontrollably.

The exact thing I was trying to avoid!  And what I have been trying to avoiding forever by reiterating a million times that they are not to play with the dogs leash.

As I am tending to a very loud and screaming Sarah, Megan and Katie disappear to the outside playroom.

I do not know what to do for Sarah and am scurrying around trying to come up with a solution to the major pain she is in.

Through her screaming, I think I hear Megan screaming and coughing.  But I can not be sure so I follow my motherly instinct, leave a still very unhappy Sarah on the couch and head to the garage.

Thank GOD above that I did.

Katie has taken a jump rope and tied it around Megan’s neck and is pulling on it as hard as she can!  Megan is screaming between pulls and coughing when Katie yanks!

I don’t know what came out of me, but I think  it was a carnal scream as I grabbed my almost 2 year old and struggled to get the rope from around her neck!  I get it off and she is screaming and breathing deep and collapses on my shoulders in relief.

She could have been killed.

I am still crying, along with Megan and Sarah and Katie.

What frustrated me the most is that I have told these kids, time after time after time, that in no uncertain terms, wrapping things around necks, legs, and arms is completely off limits.  We have talked about it in calm voices, been stern, and even had them repeat it to us.  They even say to each other that they are not allowed to wrap things around each other necks.

So WHY, I ask, are they not listening to me?  Why, in the span of 5 minutes have 2 of my daughters been injured doing things that all three knows are clearly off limits?

And if they can not listen to me about stuff, how in the world am I NOT going to be a helicopter parent and hover over them, making sure they do not kill or maim each other all day every day?

I have exhausted my parental knowledge and am reaching out to you.  Is this just typical in a multi- kid household?  Is it more prone in houses where they are all close together?

How do you get kids to listen?