"I don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at" - Maya Angelou
I'm an only child, so I don't understand the politics of sibling relationships. I never had to share a room, I was always the favorite child, and I never developed a personality or interests to stand apart from another person. And now I'm trying to raise three children who are individuals, feel special in their own way, and are friends and can support and rely on each other well after they live in our family house. I tell each of the children that they are my favorite, each for different reasons. I think they believe me, which is good because it's true. Maybe it's the sibling relationship between the oldest and the youngest or the relationship between the siblings who both have strong personalities and desire control, but J and E are usually tussling over something - borrowing video games, who looked at who during breakfast or choose to eat the same meal (two options, three kids - at least two people always choose the same thing), who showers first or last, who gets to play on one of the two swings and who gets the trapeze, and so on. With construction at the house, we've all been a little short on patience. Today I took the kids to my parents so I could wash laundry and they could watch TV, but instead E and J choose to play DS together. One DS, two children, no fighting...it was heaven.
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