"shirley" wrote in message
news:f2qnc.11542$536.2213375@attbi_s03...
My 9 year olds (almost 9.5) are at not only separate classes but schools
and
sibling rivalry is a matter of life.

We are working hard to separate ours more -- E has taken up tae kwon do
again, which all three used to do, but unless they beg neither of the others
will be permitted to invade this choice. And of course three separate first
grade classes. And this summer I have them enrolled in three separate
swimming lessons even though they are all basically at the same level. I
*know* that separating them does help. But still the rivalry (in the form
of "what's he got that I didn't and what am I missing out on?") remains
thick around here. My mother sends them comics/magazines from time to time
and last Friday I gave each boy their favorite out of the package and then
watched in disbelief as they spent the next 15 minutes ignoring their own
but trying to shove their jealous noses into the *other's* magazine to see
what they were missing out on.


We try to get each involved in
something else but there is still the "STOP IT" yelled at an volume of 10
and "you are a worm" (their vocabulary doesn't grow much either), and many
other things.

Don't forget "I'm telling Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!" shrieked at high pitch.


We usually say knock it off, but in a car or close together
they can either be their worst enemies or best friends.

Ain't that the truth -- one day they're punching each other in the back
seat, the next they are giggling over (terrible) knock knock jokes.


Bribing works but
not all the time.

Maybe I'm cheap, but mostly I rely on threats, not promises. :-)


Short of telling them "I don't want to hear that" and
using the arbitration table if the problem is huge, I believe it's just
being brothers and sisters.

I'm glad to hear someone else has been trying the "I don't want to hear
that" line. Mine frequently descends these days into "... so just go away",
too. Or time out to calm down in their rooms. Or anything else I can think
of that STOPS the noise FAST ....

I really hope it's all "normal" or I've got some maniacs on my hands. But
judging by the agreement on this ng I feel somewhat reassured that it must
be ok.


snip

Anyhow, they even pick up more fun things in school.

Another terrible truth. Since entering first grade / public school system I
just cannot *believe* the burp/f**t/snot garbage that has suddenly appeared
and gets recirculated at every meal (why only at mealtimes, btw???????).
Coupled with "you stink" or "your breath stinks" or "I don't want to sit
next to X, (s)he stinks" or .....

Maybe being one of three girls I was more sheltered than I realized!

--Janet
Elliot, Hanna, Connor (10/21/96)
and Holly (4/4/01)

Shirley