Brothers

I'm reading James Dobsons' 'The Strong-Willed Child'.  Now if you haven't spent enough time with my children you may wonder which one is given the title of 'strong-willed.'  It's my little Geedge.  You ask Gavin for a kiss and it's a firm no, you tell him it's time to go and he runs to the furthest point in the house, you tell him to stop jumping with a box of raisins in his hand and he'll shake the box harder.  In contrast, when Gavin tells me no to kisses, Harrison is quick to volunteer one.  Harrison apologizes when he spills a drink and runs to clean it up.  Harrison will help make dinner, do the laundry, and pick up toys. Dr. Dobson says most of the time with siblings one of them will be strong-willed and the other will be a pleaser.  

I know some of this is the age difference, but a lot of it, I think, is the boys' personalities growing and developing off of one another. One personality isn't better, they both bring unique dynamics to our special family.   Here's a perfect example:


Last week at the grocery store, starting in aisle two, Gavin threw a huge fit because I wouldn't open the box of cereal we put in the cart.  This fit escalated as the shopping continued and grew into an uncontrollable meltdown as we reached the car.  Okay, minivan, for whoever is getting technical.  No matter how much I 'supernannied' Gavin he remained out of control.  When we got home I was dealing with Gavin so intensely it wasn't until Harrison had finished that I realized he unloaded all the groceries from the minivan and put them away!  I did find cheese in the pantry and spaghetti sauce in the fridge, but for a four-year-old, not too shabby. Harrison thrives on pleasing others.   As the meltdown was coming to a close, our contractor, Jimmy, came through the back door and asked what was going on.  Harrison, in his most grown-up voice said, "Gavin didn't make good choices at the grocery store so he had to go to time-out."  

Throw a third child in the mix and things will really get interesting.  I remember as a teenager hearing the priest at church talk about all the things you have control over in your life.  He said the one thing you have no control over is the family you are born into.  Your family is special, planned by God, so you should look at your siblings, mother and father, and try to be a blessing and encouragement to them.  

I'm excited to see how my boys grow and change--where their personalities will take them and how their friendship will grow.