brothers

I've been observing Sol and River over the school holidays. Enjoying their company and of course having my times of wishing they would just be quieter, not squabble, not throw balls in the house, and stop asking me for food!

They crack each other up. They wrestle. They argue over which chair they want to sit at at the kitchen bench. They play football together. They watch Slugterra. They read Dr Suess. They're growing so fast in so many different ways.

Pete and I want to raise them to be best friends. No pressure lol. Or at the very least, to like each other.

There's no guarantees though is there?

It always amazes me how different siblings can be and how some are best friends and then some can have a fallout and go a life time of not speaking to each other. That is unimaginable to me, though I know it happens. And then I guess there is the middle ground where sibling friendships ebb and flow like all friendships do.

Traveling together each year is great for strengthening our family bond and when River and Sol are all grown up they will have the road trip memories to share.

There's 3 years and 4 months age difference between them. I was never of the school of having babies close together. At this age and stage, River is almost 9 and Sol will be 6 in November, the gap is working just fine.

I think something that helps Pete and I in our parenting is being aware of the pros and cons of being the eldest and the youngest. In Pete's family he was the youngest, he has an older sister. And in my family I was the eldest, my brother the youngest.

I think sometimes that is where resentment and rivalry can come in. Regardless of birth order we all want to feel heard and valued.

How are sibling relations going in your house? Or your own? Do you think there were things that your parents did or didn't do that helped or hindered your sibling relationships?