Our first three years in Austin, we lived in a two-bedroom apartment which meant the kids shared a bedroom. They were five and two at the start and it was a good fit. They would play together nicely and then play side by side when bored of each other.
At the end of the time, they were eight and five and the feelings were not the same. Big brother did not want to play with little sister and little sister was sick of big brother not wanting to play with her. Therefore, we made the logical choice and moved into a much larger place which provided them with separate rooms.
Fast forward and 2 1/2 years and we are asking the kiddos to share a room again, a much smaller room. I worried that this would be intolerable but we also hoped that the small space might bring them back together. They used to be so close but not so much lately. As parents, we have missed that.
Well, when you don’t have another playmate around or a room within to retreat, it is amazing how good a sibling can look. Don’t get me wrong – there is still squabbling, maybe more. But I am also hearing things I have not heard in a long time like Sonny-Bunny saying “Baby. let’s play”. (Baby is what we call Little Diva at home. Sonny-Bunny couldn’t pronounce her name when she was born so he started calling her Baby. It stuck.)
I love hearing those three words — “Baby, let’s play.” Big brother is actually asking little sister to play. Little sister is eating it up as are Mommy and Daddy.
Now that homeschooling has begun, this has shown itself even more. We’ve been trying to get out each day. This has included trips to restaurants with play structures. They are playing together like best pals.
They are discovering an old friend in each other. And I couldn’t be happier.
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