Brotherly Bickerings

So, last week, in fact for the past couple of weeks, my boys have been nothing but the meanest, most annoying, most crazily clashed with each other. It was like a very bad planetary misalignment cosmic clash.

Naturally, I was more harsh on Daniel because he was obviously the older one and I'd expect some maturity and kindness from him. He went on and on like this, FOR TWO BLARDY WEEKS THAT'S LIKE 14, OR 15, OR WTFC DAYS:

"Darren is a baby girl"

"Darren is a naughty girl"

"Darren is a naughty baby girl"

And he'd scoff at WHATEVER Darren says or do. At times, I really feel for the little one for being picked on.

Darren on the other hand, was being bossy, and always insisted on getting what he wants, albeit in an adorable way. At 5, everything about him is adorable, I must admit. Even Daniel was adorable at that age.

But I consciously honestly try my very utmost best to play fair. I'd listen to both sides of their stories because sentencing them. I'd resist yelling (failed miserably last night after Daniel's intolerable behaviour of 'caving himself' in which he totally ignored family members during dinner and that is plain rude and unacceptable to me). I'd tried to lecture in a loving way.

Anyway, I've really had it with their bickering. So I made them time-out from each other like this for 10 minutes, which probably feels like 10 years to them. No talking, no eye contact, no touching, no lip-syncing.

I was impressed that Darren stayed that way without fidgeting, while Daniel was still restlessly moving around. That ostrich position was like his 8th before he really stayed put. I actually checked on Darren if he fell asleep, but he wasn't!

Truth is, every mom's heart break when her children fight. I secretly pitied the weaker or the more naive one, but at the same time I also had to lecture and show that I still love the other one.

I hope I'm not doing anything catastrophically wrong with handling this sibling war thing.