The Sins of the Parents

I hope everyone is well! Xavier is mostly recovered from the flu, and the rest of us are holding our breaths, hoping we don't catch it. But so far, so good!

We're going over the finer points of language at our house these days, as well as keeping promises, and being aware of other people's feelings. We have this conversation almost every day:

Xavier: Gwen, when?

Me: When what?

Xavier: When is she going to play Legos with me?

Me: Xav, your sister does not want to play Legos all the time -- you need to learn to like playing Legos on your own.

Xavier: But she said she would do it after she finished (insert whatever activity here).

Me: Gwen, did you say that?

Gwen: Well, yes, but ...

Me: Well, then, you should have told him you didn't want to play with him in the first place -- go play Legos with him.

Gwen: Grrr! (Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!)

And a good time is not had by all. Sometimes I wonder, "When the heck will Gwen learn to say 'no' instead of putting her brother off? Why do we do this again and again?"

But then I remember THIS conversation that Adam and I have over and over again (this week, in fact) ...

Xavier: Cough! Cough! Cough!

Me: (Sniff! Sniff!) Are you cooking (insert aromatic food like onions or bacon)?

Adam: Yes.

Me: Adam, you can't cook that when Xavier is sick -- you know it sets off his asthma!

Adam: Grrr! (Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!) Well, I guess I should just forget about cooking entirely when Xavier is sick!

... so evidently the kids come by it naturally.


The indoor soccer season is winding down. The indoor soccer program did not include practices, but Xavier's "regular season" coach offered to coach practices on Fridays, and I think Xav enjoyed the practices more than the games.

Gwen was also allowed to participate in the practices. She was always really psyched about going, but the practices also always ended in tears because almost all the other players were aggressive little boys, and Gwen is not aggressive. Since she wasn't willing to break into the fray and steal the ball, and eight-year-old boys aren't big on passing the ball at all, let alone to girls, she got very little "ball" time and she'd take it personally.

At one of the recent practices, Xavier noticed that Gwen was upset. He tried to pass her the ball a couple of times, but she usually didn't notice in time and someone else would get the ball. Finally Xavier screamed (so loudly that EVERYONE in the soccer gym could hear it), "PASS GWEN THE BALL! WHAT THE HECK IS THE MATTER WITH YOU GUYS?!?!"

Xavier may be small, but he has presence. After that, the other kids ALL passed the ball to Gwen, and one of the boys even gave her a high-five after she made a goal.

He's such a good little brother -- even if he is always bugging her to play Legos.