The taking!!
I don't know if I can stand this for... how many more years??
First Lucy decides to play with her little frogs. ("I'm an ANGRY frog and I'm going to eat you! Argh, yum, um!" "I'm a happy frog and I want to be your friend!") Then Margaret decides she wants a frog too. "Noooo! Margaret! I had them first!!!"
Screaaam!
Screeaaaaaam!
"Lucy! You have TWO frogs! Give Margaret a frog!"
"But I had them firrrrst," she whines. Then, assertively, "I told her! I had them first!"
"But she doesn't understand you! She's a baby!"
No longer interested, Margaret rolls on and steals Josephine's favorite pink plastic worm out of her hands. Josephine collapses on the floor, cheek pressed against the carpet, and criiiiiiies. "Ohhh, Margaret," I sigh. Pick up Josephine. Try to find the worm. Give up. "You know what? It's bath time," I announce.
And that makes Lucy cry.
It does seem terribly unfair. Margaret doesn't have to follow any of the rules about sharing because she "doesn't understand them." (Is she a secret White House operative?) Meanwhile, we force Lucy to share with these little people who knock down her towers, eat her horses, and spend a whole lot of time plotting to remove her ponytails. Is this good for her? Is she learning to be a benevolent big sister? Or is she recording all of these insults in an internal diary that will someday be revealed when Margaret runs for office.
The other day, Margaret stole a spoon from Josephine and Josephine smacked her in the face. "Oh no! No, no, no, no!" Lucy said. "We do NOT hit!" (Secretly, I think -- go Josephine! Stand up for yourself, little baby! But, oh yeah, no hitting...)
Mostly, they do get along. Lucy says, "I am your big sister! Listen to me!" and they do! They stand there, mouth agape, their little minds turning, "What is she doing? What is she saying? If I could just get that ponytail...I could be just like her!"
First Lucy decides to play with her little frogs. ("I'm an ANGRY frog and I'm going to eat you! Argh, yum, um!" "I'm a happy frog and I want to be your friend!") Then Margaret decides she wants a frog too. "Noooo! Margaret! I had them first!!!"
Screaaam!
Screeaaaaaam!
"Lucy! You have TWO frogs! Give Margaret a frog!"
"But I had them firrrrst," she whines. Then, assertively, "I told her! I had them first!"
"But she doesn't understand you! She's a baby!"
No longer interested, Margaret rolls on and steals Josephine's favorite pink plastic worm out of her hands. Josephine collapses on the floor, cheek pressed against the carpet, and criiiiiiies. "Ohhh, Margaret," I sigh. Pick up Josephine. Try to find the worm. Give up. "You know what? It's bath time," I announce.
And that makes Lucy cry.
It does seem terribly unfair. Margaret doesn't have to follow any of the rules about sharing because she "doesn't understand them." (Is she a secret White House operative?) Meanwhile, we force Lucy to share with these little people who knock down her towers, eat her horses, and spend a whole lot of time plotting to remove her ponytails. Is this good for her? Is she learning to be a benevolent big sister? Or is she recording all of these insults in an internal diary that will someday be revealed when Margaret runs for office.
The other day, Margaret stole a spoon from Josephine and Josephine smacked her in the face. "Oh no! No, no, no, no!" Lucy said. "We do NOT hit!" (Secretly, I think -- go Josephine! Stand up for yourself, little baby! But, oh yeah, no hitting...)
Mostly, they do get along. Lucy says, "I am your big sister! Listen to me!" and they do! They stand there, mouth agape, their little minds turning, "What is she doing? What is she saying? If I could just get that ponytail...I could be just like her!"
posted by Mary Ellen at
6:23 AM
5 Comments:
Just remembered why April is an only child.
Think about all the grown-ups around you, Mary Ellen--which of us is really more eager to share than Lucy? Just a little smoother.
I think this post encouraging your children to hit will come out when one of them writes their autobiography!
Poor Lucy- it sucks being the oldest. Especially when Margaret is younger than you. One day she'll wise up and bribe Josephine to hit Margaret for her.
I find it profound that Lucy unloads on Margaret who in turn terrorizes Josephine. They've already learned a key lesson in preparation for adulthood: S**t flows downhill. Poor, poor Josephine.
Makes me think of a recent "For Better or Worse" strip. (What, you're too GOOD for the funnies?)
Well, here's the link:
http://www.fborfw.com/strip_fix/archives/003041.php
I won't tell anybody you clicked on it.
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