The Teenage Years

OK, so this title is going a little overboard, but I must admit that I have had several experiences this past week when I have been watching my children interact with one another and thought, 'they will be doing that exact same thing as teenagers!'  No, my kids are not teenagers.  Actually very far from it at 4-years old and 18-months old, but still there seems to be a dynamic between them that I can see carrying on forever.  My oldest is a girl (and very girlie at that) and my youngest is a boy (and VERY BOY), so I am sure that plays a part in the dynamics.

EXAMPLES PLEASE!  Sure, I have two specific ones I can share.  Now, you must remember to picture a girlie girl with long hair that does not want to get wet or dirty or do anything out of the normal scheme of the rules and on the opposite side you must imagine a boy that colors outside the lines!  Got it? 

Example One is bath time:  Yes, I give my opposite gender kids a bath together, but at their young ages I think it is perfectly fine.  If you don't like it; I'm sorry, but I am not changing my routine now.  Anyway, my kiddos decided to take their plastic tea set with them to bath time, and everything was going perfectly as planned in the eyes of my 4-year old.  She would set up the tea, my son would pour the tea and we would all 'drink' the tea.  This was going great until child number 2 decided that this was not exciting enough and decided to splash the water as wildly as possible, getting it everywhere...including in my daughter's face.  She is then protecting her face and crying and yelling for him to stop, so what does he do?  LAUGH really loud and hard and splash even harder.  Do you know what I saw?  I saw two teenagers in a swimming pool with the younger brother terrorizing his older sister, and I couldn't help but laugh and allow this to go on for a few moments before I intervened.  It was really funny; especially thinking about an 18-month old reasoning out in his mind what he is doing and then doing it on purpose and laughing about it. 

The second example is similar, but this time we were outside watering the plants with the garden hose.  Daughter is watering the flowers and plants and staying perfectly dry.  When it is my son's turn he makes a mud puddle to splash and sit down in, then gets up and takes the hose and puts it on big sister's toes!  She is yelling for him to stop and then he giggles the most evil, funny, mischievous giggle/laugh I have ever heard (and it came from and 18-month old) and continued to do it again every time big sis would look away or turn her back.  Yup, I could see my two teenagers washing the car!

Do your kids ever do things that seem to warp speed you ahead in time?  Well, apparently mine do, and it is fun!

So go out and enjoy your kids today!