it warms my heart to see them laugh and play together. i try to remind them that they will be each other's best friends. some days this is a real challenge because all they seem to do is fight.
cole does not always like to share with two little destructors....go figure.
and while we do not make him share all the time, because it is fair for him to have his own uninterrupted time to play sometimes, it is important to express your desires or need for help in a respectful manner, no matter your age. pushing, kicking and throwing are not optional forms of communication in our house.
neither is yelling but we all fail at that sometimes.
some days i feel like i am teaching them well to get along, to share and to show each other love, kindness and honor to each other.
and some days i feel like a total failure. like the kids just barely tolerated each other and the day became more about designated time out zones than productive playtime.
however, most days are somewhere in between. where the kids play together, share and laugh most of the time with moments of crying, fighting or disrespectful words.
i am trying to take these opportunities to teach. to be patient. to chose my words carefully so as to mold little minds and hearts on the right way to resolve conflict. and to show them that conflict WILL come. conflict might hurt or not end in your favor. but there are ways to deal with it with respect and love.
and in today's society, i don't think that people are taught those values very much.
i try to tell my kids, and mostly cole, that his siblings will be his best friends and greatest allies in life. i feel that way about my own siblings, despite drastically different and strong personalities. i love to see my kids love each other. and hope that i can foster that more as they grow up.
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