five year old problems

yes, that can accurately be read both ways - the problems five year olds face, and the problems I am having with my five year old.

after a very moody afternoon starting at pickup, and me telling them all multiple times to get inside and stop running onto the lawn, and that he'd have to do his homework before we could go to the playground, and would they please get ready, and then (goddamit) we couldn't go to the playground anymore it was too late, Riley had enough.  He said he was running away, and I replied (a little panicky) that where was he gonna go that had a bedrm for him, and food, and that had parents and a brother and sister that loved him even when he was mad?  To which he replied "good. bye.", turned on his heel and walked down the driveway to the sidewalk. 

Thankfully he stopped at the end of our neighbor's driveway, giving me a chance to put sunglasses over my teary eyes and throw barefoot Hailey + Elliot in the stroller to give chase.  At the corner of our street he conceded to talk to me and we sat there for a while before I put him on the handlebars and pushed our weird little parade back home.  (Riley was wearing his school backpack, a knight helmet, and high-heeled dress-up boots.  for a not-quiet-6-year-old I guess that's prepared)

Now he's sitting next to me, grudgingly doing homework so that he can play Mario wii.

*sigh*

only parents will probably understand how you can simultaneously love your children and hate your job parenting them.