Tag: brothers

children, family, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

‘Big’ Brother

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The sibling relationship is a complicated wonder.  It is the first relationship where you learn that you are not the center of the universe.  You also learn that the behavior of others is out of your control.  Whenever I hear T.Puzzle repeating everything Full Speed says in an annoying, sing-songy way, I know Full Speed is learning about patience and self-control.  Meanwhile, T.Puzzle learns about self-preservation as Full Speed physically attacks him in retaliation.  Sibling relationships aren’t always pretty, but they challenge us to be more of who we are.

I often wonder how my boys view their relationship with each other.  Are they good friends?  Are they fierce competitors?  Or, more likely, are they a bit of both of these?

I think T.Puzzle’s recent drawing of him and his brother sums it up perfectly.  Yes, he is thankful for his brother, but note how T.Puzzle’s stick figure is on the right.  Interesting that he drew himself nearly twice the size of his older, taller brother Full Speed.  As a younger sister myself, I think T.Puzzle is a brilliantly talented artist.  Don’t you?

Full Speed and the giant T.Puzzle enjoying time together.
Full Speed and the giant T.Puzzle enjoying time together.
children, family, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

One Stop Shopping

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Both boys are now at the same school.  Oh, how I love one stop shopping.  I couldn’t have asked for a better first week.  Did I mention T.Puzzle started kindergarten?  I’m handling it surprisingly well.  When I feel a wave of abandonment descending upon me, all I do is picture his happy little face as he bounces out the door, and then I am reassured.  I will not allow myself to wallow in sadness when clearly, my kid is happy.  Still, I can neither confirm or deny the shedding of a tear or two on T.Puzzle’s behalf.

The week started with their school orientation and meeting their teachers.  Before entering the school premises, I sternly lectured/threatened  my boys.  They were so excited that I knew their self-control would be questionable at best.  They held it together incredibly well.  Of course, once we returned home, they wrestled like crazy for almost an hour (no injuries to report, thank you!).  I can honestly say, I have never had the urge to violently wrestle my sister after having behaved in a mannerly fashion for an extended period of time.  Not once. 

By the end of the week, a new drop-off routine has emerged.  Full Speed has taken his job as big brother seriously and escorts T.Puzzle to class in the morning.  Full Speed even stated that walking T.Puzzle to class is one of his favorite things about his new school year.  Coincidentally, that is one of my favorite things he has ever said. 

Here’s to a great school year!

children, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

‘Left Out’ Has How Many Syllables?

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T.Puzzle proving he is the life of any party

Full Speed was invited to a birthday party this weekend.  T.Puzzle is having a hard time comprehending that he isn’t invited to it.  I’ve tried explaining that only the kids in Full Speed’s class were invited and not their brothers and sisters.  He can’t let it go.

“Why aren’t syllables invited?” he asked.

“Siblings just aren’t, sweetie,” I replied.

These are the hard knocks of a boy’s life.

children, kids, motherhood, parenting

Partners in Crime

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I picked up T.Puzzle early from school today.   I had lunch with Full Speed the day before and it was my attempt to keep things equal.  Little T.Puzzle was so thrilled to see me.  We came home, had lunch and I got to enjoy a conversation with him.  Usually his older brother dominates our family talks so it was nice to let T.Puzzle speak without interruption. 

After lunch I explained that he needed to play on his own for a bit while I got caught up on some of my super very favorite things like laundry and dishwasher duty.  I’m not sure if he caught the sarcasm there.  As I attacked my chores while singing showtunes to express my joy over sorting socks, he wandered around like a lost puppy.  He eventually gave up trying to figure out what to do on his own and laid down on the couch in defeat.

I think someone is missing his partner in crime. 

T.Puzzle in happier times with Full Speed by his side.
gratitude, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

The Army of Brotherhood

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Full Speed has declared that he would like to join the military or be a police officer when he is grown.  Whatever he says he wants to be I agree with him wholeheartedly.  Why?  This is because my own Mom never once scoffed at my goal of being a ballerina.  She didn’t hold it against me that I had never taken one ballet class and that I was better at throwing a softball than doing a pirouette.  She was good like that.  Therefore I have an ‘If you can dream it, you can achieve it’ sort of policy with my own kids.  Note to self…still have never taken a ballet class, maybe my policy should be revised.

As for now, Full Speed’s military aspirations are still in place.  Full Speed must have seen the commercial for ‘Surprise Homecoming’ on TLC.  It’s a show dedicated to reuniting military families with their deployed loved ones.  This is the conversation I overheard between him and T.Puzzle:

Full Speed: If there was a war and I was in the army I would take a break and come home and surprise my family.

T.Puzzle:  You would surprise me?

Full Speed:  Well, no, I would probably surprise the person I married and my kids.  I bet my kids would miss me a whole lot.

T.Puzzle:  Oooh, man! (sounding quite bereft)  You really aren’t going to surprise me?

Full Speed: (spoken with trepidation)  Alright, I’ll surprise you, too.

T.Puzzle:  YAY!

Brothers for life!
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