I grew up in a house with two brothers, two sisters and twenty monsters living in the closet down the hall. I'll bet you think I am kidding or nuts, but Mommy Nose speaks the truth. My father - <the cute guy in the photo to your right > happens to be the cult classic horror film maker, Larry Cohen (It's Alive, Phone Booth, Cellular, The Invaders, The Stuff, Q) and a real expert on creating sibling rivalry. That's right, I am blaming it on dad.

Most parents want to do what's best for their kids - but let's face the facts people, most parents are people, and people are morons.  I think I just called my dad a moron. I am sure he will appreciate that. So much for swimming in his pool this week-end.

Now, as I was blaming ... Uh, I mean saying ... it's my father who is to blame for me taking a bite out of my older sister's right breast when I was four years old (Don't ask why. I have no idea why! Maybe I was trying to breast feed ... Maybe I thought I was the It's Alive baby) and it's my mother who is to blame for my older brother swinging me around by my feet when I was five years old until I threw all over the backyard. Nonetheless, after all the blame is placed, we grow up and have to face the facts. We aren't kids anymore and the blame game is old and over. There comes a time when we have to become accountable for our actions and must stop blaming mommy, daddy and the monsters in the closet for all of our despair. 

 

This brings me to my precious six pound five ounce package who recently came to earth; Baby Nose. He has no siblings ... yet.  And the big question now is ... Will Mommy Nose let the doctors fillet her once again?  If you didn't know it, I had an emergency C section and chances are if I have more kids they will want to unzip the C section scar - zip - unzip - zip ... It's zipping scary if you ask me. More will be revealed.  But as of now I am relishing in the fact that maybe he will be spared the siblings and thus the rivalry. I relish until he is a toddler and I find myself like a heroine addict craving, craving craving. But I will be craving another tiny inch worm to hold and to love and to loose all of my sleep over.

 

If you want the key to avoiding sibling rivalry though Mommy Nose knows what to do. Don't compare your kids to each other, Don't ask them to compete to be the best so that someone else can be last and someone else can be first. Get rid of games with winners and losers!   Try to remove from your vocabulary "Why can't you be like so and so?" Do not get in the middle of their arguments and take sides! Parents, all you have to do sometimes is be quiet! Let them work it out! You would be amazed what happens. And when they tell you about how they are mad at their sister or brother - just listen and do not let them see you have any opinion one way or the other. Your opinion is probably wrong anyway. Let them problem solve with each other. Ask them what they think the best way to handle it is and then just shut up. It's a real twister to swallow, but maybe it's us parents who should be seen and not heard. And that's my two cents on the subject as far as sibling rivalry goes.

Peace out, Mommy Nose