This week has been….interesting…
I think that is the word for it, something along those lines anyway – but mainly it’s been “challenging”, “annoying” and “hair-pulling-outer-ing” which clearly isn’t a word, but I somehow feel that, this word, or similar should exist. Something that really shows the level of frustration in that really special onomatopoeia kind of way that really only the English language can achieve. A way that sums up how one feels when you have just had to deal with another situation where one child does seems to like the way the other child is “looking at them.”
I sometimes wonder whether I was a bit of a terror with my brother when I was younger. It is only know that I have kids myself that I really appreciate the patience that my mother probably had to show to keep things all calm and serene when I was probably being a little “git.” Not that my kids are “little gits” I should say, its just sometimes when you have, for the fiftieth time, found yourself saying that you wish that they would stop bickering; that there is a very good reason for having a large glass of wine when they are in bed this evening.
So in celebration of this sentiment for the week, this month’s parenting tips linky is all about siblings; from helping prepare to having a new one, to managing the rivalry between then. You can even link up posts that are demonstrating the gorgeous-ness that siblings can show each other. I know that happens, as it does even in our house sometimes!
The best advice I was ever given about managing siblings and their relationships was to step back….
Clearly one can’t do this if there is going to be bloodshed, however – if you feel that limbs will not be lost, it is worth letting them see if they can work it out for themselves. If we wade in and help all the time, how will they ever learn the art of negotiating for themselves with their sibling, or indeed, people in general.
So come along, and link up your posts to help us all out this month with our sibling related challenges, or just bask in our kids sibling glory – what is it to be?