Being a good parent is exhausting...Any other ideas?

The greatest thought provoking 10-15 minutes of my life occurs in the shower. This morning I welcomed the steaming waterfall just after shouting at my two big kids to SHUT! UP! as they contiuously bickered about everything from Allie demanding bossily that The Prince of Being Easily Distracted Gil needs to HURRRRRRRYYYY UUUUUUUUP to Gil shouting at Allie WHAT THE HECK, AL?! That's Gil's generic response to anything Allie does to piss him off.

All of this while Egan flitters about with angel wings and a halo, sweetly saying, "I'm behaving, right Mom?"

Here's my deal: I don't know what to do with them anymore! The other night at book club I identified with a friend who described "walking on eggshells" in certain relationships. Only the person I find myself trying to keep from blowing up is my eight-year-old Gilmore.

Far be it from me to not teach my kids how life doesn't always go the way they want; people don't always do everything you want them to. It's my job to guide these ingrates, modeling coping skills and encouragement. I get that.

I give Gil a hard time but it's not just Gil. It's Allie too. Actually, it's the deadly combination of the two of them together. You know, like gasoline to a fire...TO A CAR!

Please, you guys. Help me figure out ways to combat this anarchy!