Being a good mom

Sometimes I get so lost trying to be a good mom. I have no idea if I'm doing anything right. We are always in a constant battle around here between my will and theirs. Today was a perfect example. I had planned a fun afternoon at the mall and at Claytopia, as a surprise for the girls, but things didn't go the way I pictured it. After I picked the girls up from school, we started off to the mall, but along the way I had the typical bickering, hitting and general bratiness from the back seat. Come to think of it, were not talking about anything out of the ordinary or over the top, just the same old, same old. But for some reason, it was just the straw that broke the camels back and I just lost it. I turned the car around and we went home instead. Of course, this brought choruses of "we're sorry" and "please turn around" the entire way home. Yes, I drove all the way home. Believe me, I almost gave in and turned around many, many times, but I felt like I just needed to stick to my guns and not give in. The kicker is, now I feel like crap as much as they do. They're mad, I'm mad, they're sad, I'm sad. So, did the whole fiasco make a damn bit of difference? Only time will tell. Somehow, I doubt that what will be remembered is "If we behave like brats, we won't be rewarded" More than likely they'll just remember this as the day mom went off the deep end about a little sibling bickering, and maybe they'll be right. There's still time to head back out to Claytopia and salvage this day. What would a good mom do?!?