Why I won't win Mom of the Year

I took my kids to the park this morning. After about an hour of digging holes in the sandbox, they ran over to the swings. Henry got to the only vacant swing first. I told Drew to stand by me while I pushed Henry on the swing. Drew did so, reluctantly. He was upset with me because I wasn't letting him go before his brother even though he knew the rule was 'first to the swing, first to be swung.' He was also frustrated because Henry, who he bosses around incessantly, would have let him get away with going first if I hadn't been there.

A few minutes later, the adjacent swing opened up and I told Drew to grab it. Rather than listening to me, Drew threw a tantrum and ordered Henry to go to the newly-unoccupied swing because he wanted Henry's swing. As I was telling Drew to just take open swing, he moved from his original spot into Henry's swinging path. The next thing I knew, Henry smacked right into Drew, knocking Drew several feet away where he face-planted into the rough rubber tiling. It was like I was watching it happen in slow motion, only I was also moving in slow-mo. Once I recognized what was happening, I rushed to pick up Drew. His face was totally scratched up, a little bloody, bright red and already swelling. Naturally, he was screaming. As I gently wiped off his face and held him tightly, I told him we were leaving to get cleaned up. I was also hoping to escape the piercing looks from all the judgmental nannies and other moms.

Soon after I started to pick up our things to leave, Drew calmed down. He even tried to convince me he was fine and said he wanted to stay at the playground. But I lifted him up with one arm and scooped up Henry with the other, put them in their stroller and we headed home. Along the way, I apologized profusely to Drew. He said, "it's okay, Mommy, just don't let it happen again." Henry also said he was sorry, though it wasn't his fault. A few minutes later, Henry pointed out that things like this don't happen with Betty. That part stung, but I know he didn't mean it like it sounded. Still, it just highlighted the fact that this morning will not go down as one of the best Mommy days ever.

Is it Friday yet?