I think the majority of the people posting on this thread, as well as the OP, are missing the point that this happened in an AIRPORT. What may be fine, leaving an 11 year old in charge, leaving kids unattended for a few moments with luggage,
in any other situation is incorrect in an AIRPORT.
The OP restated the what the gate agent for Southwest Airlines stated was PRECISELY what the problem was:
1. She left three children by themselves
2. She left three children by themselves with luggage
3. She left luggage essentially unattended
The SW agent also states:
"She called the husband AND security would be called next."
The SW agent followed proper procedure for an airport. If this was done in New York's JFK airport, LaGuardia or at Newark, security would probably have automatically detained the children as the children may have been abandoned overnite or completely, with some belongings to fend for themselves, and probably the whole family would have missed their flight until it was all sorted out IF the parents really did show up again.
SECONDLY, airport police with a bomb sniffing dog would have been called over to ensure that the children weren't just left with the unattended luggage as a decoy for a bomb placed in the luggage. Depending on the police officer, he may be annoyed that the dog was pulled away from sniffing for actual threats, or he may have the patience & understanding that some people are still so blissfully naive as to dangers of terrorism in airports,
proven terrorist target zones.
I was at Laguardia once. I had my money & ID in a little fanny pack, worn at the back of my waist under my coat. I was standing at the end of a long line and reached under my coat to the small of my back to pull the fanny pack around to my front to take out my ID. It got caught at my hip. I turned to look at it and out of the corner of my eye, I saw that a National Guard soldier with an AK47, ready to be lifted & aimed, was walking toward me. The look on his face meant business.
He had seen me reach under my coat for something concealed, and it might have been a gun. When he saw it was just my fanny pack & how shocked I was,
he just turned & backed away. But
I learned just how serious airport security is. And I am grateful for their watchful eyes & ears.
OP, YOUR actions, as unwitting and innocent as they would have been anywhere else, were potential problems in THIS situation, well beyond a "poopy diaper" and being yelled at in a way you weren't used to.
My suggestion to you is to read the book,
Emotional Intelligence. As other people have stated, your reaction to the event was extreme for the situation. It is a book with concepts that could help you, especially as you have kids and need to roll model emotionally handling situations better and putting them into perspective. That a 5 minute situation can ruin a WHOLE vacation (of days???) says a lot. You need to learn techniques for some reframes, boundaries, some changes in perspective, and gaining control of your emotions.