A Week Away, One at a Time

I never thought I’d have to deal with sibling rivalry, at least not with the pair of kiddies that I have now.  I really didn’t.  My children are seven and a half years apart.  I figured that my eldest, now age nine, would be mature enough to handle the changes that come along with bringing a baby into the house.  I also figured that my youngest, not even two, would always adore her older brother.  Alas, I had forgotten about the possessiveness an older child feels when his territory has been invaded, as well as the terrible toddler tune of “mine, mine, mine.”

You could say that my household has been in frenzy ever since Katie learned to walk.  Even more so since she learned to run.  She and Alex are constantly getting on each other’s nerves.  He antagonizes her and she steals his toys.  Typical childhood antics, I suppose, but I never thought I’d see them in my house.

As the long winter faded into spring, I had had enough.  I cooked up a plan to ship off each of my children for a week this summer.  The catch was that they wouldn’t be going away together.  This allowed me to have a solid week with each child to myself. 

However, I didn’t count on the fact that they would actually miss each other.  Having been an only child, I didn’t quite understand the depth of the sibling connection.  According to Nana, who has had the joy of having each child for a week, Katie called out for Alex more often than me or my husband.  What a surprise!  Furthermore, Alex asked if Katie could stay at the grandparents’ with him during his week because he was going to miss her.  What a shocker!

Of course, when reunited, they were quick to begin their daily spats.  And that’s okay, because I still have next summer.