DebbieDoesLife

Thursday, April 27, 2006

A Mother's Wish


Sibling rivalry. Those two words evoke different images for everyone. If you have just one child then you will smile indulgently and think "My children will not suffer from that because I will surround them with a bubble of love!" If you do have more than one child then you will desperately nod and hope that I am about to give you the answer to stopping those screaming fights - sorry.

I was the middle child between two boys. My brothers and I were four years apart and you would think that would have been enough to keep us from fighting. Wrong.

My younger brother irritated me by just entering the same room! My older brother tormented me constantly. Just between you and I, and I know you will never tell or use this against me, my brother had a nickname for me....Debbie Dog Face. What? Why didn't I name my blog that instead? Real funny - so funny I forgot to laugh!

WMD: Hot Wheels Race Track Strips! Superb weapons! They fit underneath a locked door to make a wonderfully irritating sound when whacked back and forth. Guaranteed to draw out the person who has locked themselves in... then, if you can't actually run as fast as your sibling, they give you that remaining few inches you lack to lay a whack on the back! Oh yeah, and they leave a mark. Score!

How often did we fight? Well, let's just say, if we were breathin', we were fightin'. It became a competitive sport in our house and we were soon to be asked to represent the U.S. at the Olympics!

I am not sure what my mother could have done to stop our bickering and fighting. My mom was the type that "just wanted everyone to be happy." She would seperate us constantly. My parents even bought a ginormous station wagon and then we actually had three seperate areas in which my brothers and I would have to sit. I'm surprised she didn't make us wear blindfolds because even seeing each other was a problem.

You see, I had perfected the Evil Eye. When I turned that sucker on you, you begged for mercy.

My mother cursed me, I mean wished for me to have children just like us someday. So far I have avoided the curse. My kids don't fight like we did. I'm sure its because I am such a good mother.

Where the heck did I leave my lucky rabbit's foot? Hey, are you sitting on my four leave clover? GET UP!! I need that!!!

P.S. It should be noted that my brothers and I are very close now. I haven't had the urge to whack them in years. Well, there was that one little comment last Thanksgiving....

9 Comments:

  • I had the opposite experience. My sister and I rarely fought, but my kids argue and fight all the time!! No fair.

    By Blogger Renee, at 4/27/2006 8:41 AM  

  • My sister and I almost never fought, but I was a holy terror all by myself and the mother's curse works! My three children are demon spawn when they are together. Their father (who has two much older sisters) thinks this is due to me being a crappy parent. I have informed him that because he was practically an only child, he seriously hasn't a clue!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4/27/2006 11:06 AM  

  • My two oldest brothers REALLY fought. And always on Mother's Day. My mom consistently had to get out the garden hose and spray them until they stopped. My oldest brother always won, and my second-oldest brother always had a fat lip or black eye in his school pictures. Today he could totally kick my oldest brother's butt and think that's why there's peace in the family.

    They tought me to box when I was six and knocked out my first tooth. Good times.

    By Blogger Mignon, at 4/27/2006 11:48 AM  

  • Aah, the good times we had as young children with our brothers and sisters. I only ever "fought" with my older sister once at the urging of our older cousins. My two daughters (five years apart in age) have fought nonstop since the day they were born. As a parent it's frustrating. They get along great when they live in separate states and email and call like best friends, but get them in the same room...

    By Blogger Carmel, at 4/28/2006 12:08 AM  

  • My brother and I fought as kids until I got bigger than him. My 3 kids never fight. Really. They enjoy each other's company. Freaky.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4/28/2006 8:27 AM  

  • I was on of six! My next oldest sibling was four years older than me. He tortured me at home by being Mr. Calm and Good, making me look like an overemotional, hypersensitive freak in comparison. On the bus, he teased me. In our teens, we became very close. We had parallel career paths (both writers) and worked together on some projects. Our first joint project was a white paper for GE and I got to be his boss--nah, nah, nah, nah, nah.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4/28/2006 10:12 AM  

  • Like WordGirl, I grew up with two sisters and we fought like cats and dogs. There was much pinching, slapping and hairpulling, but we are super close now. I think fighting with siblings is a healthy rite of passage, but I'm not a mother yet, so I'm sure I'll change my tune when I have kids that don't get along :o)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4/28/2006 2:57 PM  

  • My sibs and I used to fight like crazy when my mom was in school. Knock-down-drag-out fights. My brother tore my nightgown and I pinched his shoulder in the door hinges (because he was trying to get into my room - horrors!). As the oldest, I was a terrible bully until my sister got old enough to tackle me and choke me and tell me (through clenched teeth) to leave her the hell alone. Ahem. These days, though, we're all very close and hang out with each other regularly. Go figure.

    By Blogger B.E.C.K., at 4/28/2006 4:14 PM  

  • My older brother tormented the hell outta me too. Unfortunately, he & I aren't really on good terms, but not because of that.
    Isn't it amazing that despite all the fighting, we've survived and are in 1 piece? I can just imagine the evil eye. *shudder*

    By Blogger jane, at 4/29/2006 5:51 PM  

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