Sibling rivalry

We’re very lucky in that the girls play together pretty nicely.

Mostly Eleanor worships Rosemary (or ‘RoRo’ as she calls her), though is perfectly prepared to tell her how annoyed she is about being picked up for the gazillionth time or being greeted very loudly while she’s having ‘DotDot’ (mummy milk).

And mostly Rosemary enjoys playing with Eleanor, and is quite happy to take her through to the living room and keep her amused while I clean up in the kitchen or chop some vegetables or something. She likes showing her things and telling her things.

But every now and then I get a glimpse of what may be to come. When I hear two high-pitched screams flying out from the living room and landing inside my head, where they rattle around for a while battering down the peace and quite I had been enjoying. What’s caused this? Both wanting the same thing. Usually Rosemary is able to be grown-up about it and let Eleanor have whatever it is, but sometimes, especially when there’s no actual grown-up in the room, she’ll have a bit of a meltdown, which in its turn leads Eleanor to have a meltdown.

I can be happily dozing on the sofa of a morning, attempting to make up for another early rise, when Rosemary’s voice will interrupt my reveries. ‘Mum! Mum! Mum! Eleanor won’t let me eat my breakfast.’ ‘How exactly is she stopping you from eating your breakfast?’ ‘Well. She’s eating it. Look!’ ‘Oh. Eleanor, that’s Rosemary’s. If you want more breakfast you have to get back in  your high chair.’

My sister is 12 years younger than me, so we didn’t have this kind of sibling relationship. I was at university for most of her formative years, in fact, and we certainly never had arguments over toys or food. (Well, except perhaps in the sense that I was a little bit jealous that she got pudding every day and I was only ever allowed it at weekends.) For the many years when I was an only child, I yearned for a sister to share toys with, to talk about books with, to share clothes with and to commiserate over boys with. When I finally got her, she was far too small to do any of those things (though I think we have since made up for lost time).

I hope that the girls are able to stay close, though I realise it’s pretty impossible to have an argument-free house. I just really really wish that there is not too much screaming.

What about you? Do your children have good sibling relationships? Did you or do you?