The Lang Gang Loves: Sibling Relationships

We had some friends visit a couple of weeks ago and they gave us one of the best compliments. She said, I just love how well your children get along.

Really?

Yeah! ?I noticed how they always look out for each other and the older ones help the little ones.

Wow. ?I need to pay better attention to my kids. ?Because there are days (like TODAY) in the middle of summer when all I hear is bickering and I feel like a lone referee amongst a field of angry competitors. ?It gets tiring.

We have tried to instill deep sibling relationships amongst our kiddos. We want those roots to be long.

While my husband and I are still on this earth, it is important to us that our children get along and respect each other's differences. ?But it will be even more important someday when we are no longer around.

We have told our children repeatedly....
someday we will be gone, but you will have your siblings most of your life.

We also tell them this...
You will have friends come and go. ?But you will always have your brother. ?

Hunter and Hayden go to the same school everyday and they are instructed to always get their brother's back in any situation. ?Let's just say that they would never want their daddy to find out if they decided to cross their brother, or leave him to fend for himself in a public situation.

I think one of the saddest things to hear is when siblings grow up and no longer spend any time together because they never learned how to get along when they were young. ?Some people believe that siblings are just something that we have to put up with, since they are "friends" we can't choose.

I believe that God gave us siblings as a foundation for relationships that will carry us throughout adulthood. ?I also think God knows exactly what he is doing when he puts children in families that are complete opposites of each other. ?It takes work and determination to form a lasting relationship. ?Skills that will help them in all areas of life.

I am completely blessed to be neighbors with my brother that is closest in age and life stage with me. ?Our two families share meals with each other, as well as random nights around the fire pit. ?I watch my mom's contentment rise as she enjoys just knowing that we are all together because we choose to be.

When one of our other brothers comes to town, plans are arranged for family dinners and time to just be together. ?Even though the four of us are all independent adults, when we are in a room, there is just something that feels right. ?Our roots run deep. ?As we all live our separate lives, these are the things that remain.

So even as I sit here typing, and can hear bickering in the basement, I know that my children are forming deep bonds that will carry them through any situation someday. ?As a momma, this does my heart good. ?It is also one of life's greatest blessings to know that the heritage that God is building through my husband and I is already starting to form, and maybe even once in awhile, someone else might be blessed because of it. ?

Don't just let your kiddos fend for themselves in this area. ?Teach them to love each other. ?Give responsibility to the older ones to mirror examples of good choices for the little ones. ?When in public, partner them up with each other, allow them to feel the burden of each other's choices. ?This not only takes some of the weight off of you as a parent, but it also provides excellent training ground for responsibility and character.

Source: http://www.thelanggangloves.com/2013/06/sibling-relationships.html

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