I've heard it a couple times already. "I'd love to have my sister live near me, but we'd probably kill each other." I'm happy to report that Cara and I are in agreement with the first part, but would never think to utter the second. How do we get along so well?? Because we choose to.
We are eight years apart and grew up in seperate homes, so we're missing some baggage common in others sister pairs. But we're also missing some of the great sister growing up memories and benefits, so we choose to have them now.
We choose to encourage each other and each other's children. We choose to be honest -- respectfully. We choose to honor each other's marriage and marriage partner, which luckily is not so tough because we both married great guys.
We carefully choose which conflicts to tackle and which to let go. And when a topic must be covered because it is about character or safety, we choose our words carefully. And to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
Each of us struggles to mother our children towards treating their siblings with respect, common in homes of any size or blend. In this laboratory of sorts the theory holds true that leading by example is effective. Without keeping track, I can assure you that sibling issues are better now after two months of blended chaos than they were in the honeymoon stage. It could also be that having two mothers nearby with pointy fingers and sharp tongues doesn't hurt either. Though I'd like to think it's our example that is doing the heavy lifting of that gigantic task.
It's important to us that our kids get along, mostly because it is morally right, but also because sibling relationships are the longest ones we have. Parents bring us into the world, but often leave us in our adult years. Our spouses join after childhood. Siblings are there for both our early and our late years.
It's much better to get through those years of departing parents and raising cousins if we enjoy and support each other. Much better to chose nice.
We are eight years apart and grew up in seperate homes, so we're missing some baggage common in others sister pairs. But we're also missing some of the great sister growing up memories and benefits, so we choose to have them now.
We choose to encourage each other and each other's children. We choose to be honest -- respectfully. We choose to honor each other's marriage and marriage partner, which luckily is not so tough because we both married great guys.
We carefully choose which conflicts to tackle and which to let go. And when a topic must be covered because it is about character or safety, we choose our words carefully. And to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
Each of us struggles to mother our children towards treating their siblings with respect, common in homes of any size or blend. In this laboratory of sorts the theory holds true that leading by example is effective. Without keeping track, I can assure you that sibling issues are better now after two months of blended chaos than they were in the honeymoon stage. It could also be that having two mothers nearby with pointy fingers and sharp tongues doesn't hurt either. Though I'd like to think it's our example that is doing the heavy lifting of that gigantic task.
It's important to us that our kids get along, mostly because it is morally right, but also because sibling relationships are the longest ones we have. Parents bring us into the world, but often leave us in our adult years. Our spouses join after childhood. Siblings are there for both our early and our late years.
It's much better to get through those years of departing parents and raising cousins if we enjoy and support each other. Much better to chose nice.
