Cheerleaders

One of my most happy realizations recently came in realizing that I worried in vain about my children being friends.

You see, I somehow thought that only same-sex siblings would share enough commonalities to get a deeply rooted friendship. Girls and boys are too different, I lamented, to be able to share ANYTHING.

But it just isn't so. Dollies or trucks don't make bonds, loving words and kindness do. If you train your child to think of others more highly than themselves and to be kind always then regardless of the toys scattered about ones foot, your children will enjoy being with one another and sharing in each OTHER's passions.

It sounds as if, after that last sentence, I *have* the answer down pat when in actuality- that sentence about 'training your child to think of others more highly than themselves and to be kind always" is going to keep me on my toes for the rest of my days. (Sometimes I wish parenting were more cut and dry versus plant and till.) Truth is, though, even I still struggle with the learning of these things.

It makes me happy to see Andrew toting around a doll to play with Corynn, or see her on the floor making trains when I know personally she would rather be doing other things, but you know what REALLY gets me?

When Andrew sees Corynn working hard at a picture or drawing and praises her saying: "Grit dob dida!!!" (Great Job SISTER!)

Or~ when Andrew does something wonderfully accomplishing for a two year old and Corynn excitedly exclaims "Andrew! You did that all by YOURSELF?!? I am SO impressed!!!"

OR~when the big sister comes running into the house and happily shouts to me: "Mama! Andrew just said "YES" instead of "yeah! For the FIRST time! Isn't it exciting?!?"

Now that is the sort of tattle-taling I can stand for!

Because such happy admiration is shared so lavishly by and for one another, the result is a relationship where they look for opportunities to share with one another.

While Little Miss does her schoolwork each day, often the Panda is found doing puzzle after puzzle. He quickly got the 15 piece puzzles down pat and has since moved on to the 24 piecers. The other day, I was so proud of him that he completed that puzzle on his own, with out a stitch of help from me. This two year old boy of mine impresses me mightily. As you can see from the photo, though, he was more interested in what SISTER would have to say about it.

It's so fun hitting the milestones with your children, and even more fun when a whole cheering section gets in on the fun.