No really, I mean it

My house has pretty few hard and fast 'rules' the ones we do have are pretty much related to safety issues.

One of them is please do not play ball in the house. Well today- my exercise ball made it downstairs from my room- it is one of those big heavy plastic giant balls- that is apparently irresistible to kids. Outside- I do not mind them playing with it- inside things get carried away fast and someone would liable to get hurt.

So today Stinky, Princess, and Peas were playing with with ball and after several requests to stop they did not choose to listen- soon we had set the ball aside and decided to clean up the toys that were out in the basement and then go out to play with the ball. After the toys were cleaned up I went upstairs to get jackets to go outside and Stinky could no longer resist the giant purple ball in the corner and he began to play with it- shockingly he rolled- with the ball straight down the stairs. He was not hurt- but scared- and surprised. How could he fall down the stairs? I had only warned him seven times that morning- how was he supposed to know of the dangers?!?!?!?!?

It makes me batty that they do not listen and are shocked when they get hurt. It is not like I ask them to stop or have a ton of rules just to constrain them or ruin their fun. When I say something like that it is for a purpose.

so frustrating