Vignette #4

E, running in the house and slamming down the car keys—clearly in a tizzy: I’m not ever driving her around anywhere.

A not screaming but clearly high-pitched and distressed: Well, what am I supposed to do when you were about to hit a car? Be silent and get hurt?

E: I wasn’t about to hit a car!

A: Yes you were!

Me: Can we stop screaming please? What’s all this about?

E and A simultaneously: “She yells at me when I drive”
“She doesn’t drive like I do and we almost hit a car.”

Me: Let’s talk about this reasonably—I attempt to do so, doesn’t work, I send them to their room to calm down until they can talk reasonably.

About 10 minutes later:

E: I’m serious, I’m not driving her around.

Me: That’s fine, then you don’t drive.

E: That’s not fair.

Me: Sure it is. It’s my car and I can decide who drives and when. If you won’t share the car then you don’t have the right to drive it.

At this point they start arguing with each other again.

Me breaking in: I will sell the car if the two of you can’t come to some agreement about how you’ll drive and ride together.

A: I won’t complain about how you drive, but I will mention if we’re about to hit another car.

E: That’s fine and I’ll do the same.

And it was over. No other mention, no more upset feelings, no anger…just over.