Kindness Between Sibilings

One of my favorite parts of being married is evaluating our upbringings and deciding what we want to bring to our own family.  Once our older two children got to the age where tempers could flare, my husband, P, spoke up very quickly about something he wanted to bring from his childhood.  He told me that one of the only times you could count on seeing his dad get upset was when the he and his sibilings were unkind to one another. 

Now, my brother and I used to bicker, but he was talking about something different.  He was talking about kindness.  As soon as my husband explained this to me, I started seeing exactly what he was talking about.  It's not when they arguing over the toy, but rather when their words become sharp or their intentions become hurtful.  I had noticed it before but could never put my finger on the difference.  He hit the nail on the head...they were being unkind.

When I asked P why it bothered his dad so much, he told me that his dad used to explain to them that they should love and be kind to each other because when it comes down to it, they are all each of them had.  When all of your friends have left, you will always have your brothers and sisters.

This has been a big lesson for me.  Being that my older two are 15 months apart, they have the opportunity to be the best of friends.  I definitely think that my being aware of their kindness towards one another has contributed to the bond that holds these two together.  Now, they are most commonly described as 'an old married couple'...its hysterical!