So far in my parenting life, with two little girls, I have amassed quite a lot of skills. The newborn stuff is down pat, babies crawling and walking I'm pretty good at, and I'm honing my toddler skills each hour. However, my life experience has a gigantic gaping hole in it that I could really stand to draw from right now: sibling life.
I am an only child. I like it this way because I really don't know any different. My life has been wonderful and quite blessed. But what I haven't learned enough of is what it's like to live with a sibling -- kind of critical information being a mother of two.
L's brother is six years younger, so he has a few insights, but definitely not insights that involve siblings close in age. Most of my friends are siblings, so I've gleaned a fair amount of info just from observing over the years.
Here's where you come in: I'm looking for your tips. You can post them here, e-mail them to me, tell me, whatever's easiest. If you grew up with a sibling close to your age, tell me what your parents did that you liked. Tell me what they did that you didn't like. Did you get the same presents? Do the same activities? Share a room?
Help a sister (get it?) out here. I'd love to hear from you.
2 comments:
My sister is 22mos younger than I am. I remember getting the same presents from grandparents, and sometimes even our own parents.
It was annoying.
If we have another one, I plan to set firm rules about this. No presents for "other sibs" on birthdays. No duplicate gifts for holidays. That kind of thing.
I remember being told that I could get my ears pierced in the 5th grade. The day that I was slated to have it done, my parents decided that my sister (who was in the 3rd grade) could have hers done too...even though I had to wait two additional years. I'm not bitter, but I remember it feeling very unfair when I was a little kid.
Things like that happened constantly. I don't know if it was because I was the oldest, and therefore harder to "let go of". Lord knows it wasn't because my sister was as mature as i was. That was CERTAINLY not the case!
Anyway, sorry for hijacking your blog. My advice is to make rules and stick with them.
Thanks, Christy. I never realized you and your sister are exactly the same age difference as my girls.
I have gotten several e-mails and face-to-face comments on this, so it's been really helpful. Keep them coming!
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