Works for Me Wednesday...Peace at Last

When your child is eight when your next child is born, there's not a lot of sibling rivalry. When that child is eight when your next child is born, again, there's not a lot of sibling rivalry. There. That's what works for me. I strongly advise everyone have their children eight years apart. :)

What? Doesn't work for you?

Well, wouldn't work for me either. Because as much as I love our family exactly how God designed it, he did throw in the surprise of me all-of-a-sudden being able to get pregnant quite easily, thank you very much, and instead of it taking years to get pregnant again (no, Julianna was not an afterthought, or a surprise, or even (and I really, really hate this) an accident). She was planned, we just never could have known it would happen so quickly with our history. I've definitely learned there are great things about having kids two years apart as well.

However, when you have children two years apart, sibling rivalry, big time. Go figure.

Lately, at Chez Rittenberg, there's been a lot of dissent about who gets to pick what, who gets what privilege, who chooses anything and everything. It's all about control, and each of their desperate desire for it, but what's a Mama to do? Fortunately, I've figured it out.

It's so simple, it's genius really, and best of all, it works!

We've tried taking turns whose "day" it is before, but it always led to more arguments as it was difficult to remember whose day it was. Jacob was born on July 12. Julianna was born on November 1. Awesome. Even days are now Jacob's to choose what to watch on TV while they eat breakfast (yes, we do that, shut up). Jacob sits next to me at the table on even days. Jacob gets to choose who practices piano first on even days...you get the picture? If it's even and there's a King Solomen type decision to make? Jacob gets to make it.

And then...odd days. Hallelujah! All odd days, Julianna's in charge of the tv decision, she sits next to Mommy, she chooses who practices, she picks her favorite part of the couch to sit on. (Yes, that decision used to come perilously close to ruining stories at our house every night). It's so delightfully simple, and yet so effective. I love it. They love it. It's working.

If you have more than two children who fight over every stupid little thing, or if your children were both born on the same even/odd day, sorry. I've got nothing for you. Be creative. See if you can modify the system. But, if you've got the perfect setup like we do, try it. It really works. I highly recommend it.

PS Yes, I'm aware that six times a year Julianna will have her day twice in a row. So far, it's working. Jacob knows that's just the way the cookie crumbles and he has to deal with it. I really, really love this system.


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