During a recent visit, my five year old niece was in the car with me and my sister. "My mommy said that when she was a little girl, her sisters didn't like her." I looked over at my sister, whose smile didn't reach her eyes. She did think that.As an older sister, I remember being fond of my sister, reading to her and pushing her on the swing. Yet, our six year age difference in a culture that had never heard of homeschooling and thus, separated us for most of the day, it is easy to see that her younger memories wouldn't have included the sister that was always at school or doing homework.
My kids, together all day, must learn to find ways to deal with each other. There is often no escape. The piano is loud, the little brother is full of pent-up energy, the sister is having a bad day. I say that this is a good thing. They are learning to live with one another and learn how to deal with variances in personality. They are learning to appreciate each other.
Not too long ago, William went for a hair cut. The, shall we say "country-bred", woman cutting his hair asked him what kind of music he liked. He quickly answered, "Classical." She was speechless. But that is what he hears all day from his sister's piano. That is what he hears her play on her computer. That is what he hears her say she likes. She is more than someone who has a life elsewhere. She's part of his life.
2 comments:
I originally read this post almost 4 hours ago, but something about it has been nagging the back of my mind, so I had to come back & comment.
My sister is 7 years my junior, & I can't help but wonder if she feels as your sister does that she wasn't liked as a child (by me that is). Honestly, while growing up, I couldn't stand her. I'm still not crazy about her, we're as different as night & day... different morals, different life-styles, different values, you name it! But make no mistake about it, I do Love her!... I just don't understand her & her ways.
You're blessed that homeschooling has worked so well for you/yours... I'm thinking had my sister & I been forced to be in one anothers presence... well, it just wouldn't have been a good thing.
I suppose that was my point. My two daughters are night and day, and they have their momments. But, I will say that they've learned to appreciate and tolerate their differences, learn to deal with it. Of course, homeschooling isn't for everyone, but I do think in our case it has worked to cement relationships.
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