Sent outside to play

Y'all. This day. It just almost did me in. To be fair, I think it was just because I was physically and mentally exhausted from spending three FULL days at the Marble Falls CC parent practicum, wearing a variety of hats, including teaching a training course, and having a stack of work to get through today (and hoping to do that with the fewest possible interruptions).

But, riddle me this: If we need to leave the house early to be somewhere, why do I have to push, poke, and prod the kids to wake up, have breakfast and put two shoes on their feet, regardless of whether they match or not, but if we have an opportunity to sleep in, everyone wakes early (on their own), banging dishes, yelling "MOMMA" at top volume over and over and over, and are completely dressed, including matching football cleats, by the time I exit the bedroom?

Multiple times, I demanded that the boys go outside and play, partly just to protect them from me. And, I would really love it if one of you could enlighten me as to how it is punishment to go outside and play if you are a boy who lives on a 10-acre property, with a multitude of toys and sporting equipment, on a gorgeous Texas day in July, where the high temperature is only 88 degrees. I just don't get it. Why all the crying and whining and coming back in so often?

In fact, I was so perplexed by this, that, at one point, I decided to send myself out to play, instead of sending the boys out, just to see if I would start crying upon crossing the threshold. To my surprise, I did not start crying or whining. In fact, it was absolutely lovely. Right up until ten minutes later, when the door swung open, and the boys bounded out, a ball of noise and energy, eager to play right there on the porch where I was sitting in peace.