You learn many things from your siblings. My brothers taught me how to swear (they just made me SO mad!) and to hide my bras (they showed all the neighbor kids). You learn how to take turns, be patient and how to collaborate in making your parents crazy. As adults, my brothers have become friends to me and my children. They have willing ears and sound advice.
I am anxious to see the relationships my kids will have as adults. I hope they will enjoy each others company. I hope they are important to each others spouses and children. I hope they come visit their mother all at the same time.
While I wait for them all to reach adulthood, which will be a LONG wait as I have a nearly six year old, I observe things they have learned from each other. My daughters talk fashion, accessorizing, hair and makeup. They argue often. They share a room so are learning valuable lessons in time management and personal space.
Some lessons are not so positive. For instance, once one kid decides they don't like potatoes, suddenly, no kids like potatoes. Well, until one smart kid realizes how they get props from mom for eating potatoes.
Siblings are also your first taste of competition. Kid #1 was not good at spelling, so kid #2 became an awesome speller. Kids #1 and 2 are not good at math, so kid #3 works very hard to be stellar in math. Good healthy sibling competition, good for the report card!
This all brings me to child #4. His siblings were 14, 12 and 9 years old when he was born. They have been singing and reading to him since he came home from the hospital. They play board games with him, so he understands rules, waiting your turn and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. OK, he needs some work on that last one. Because his siblings are so much older, he also knows how to cheat. Because he watches "Survivor" with his sister, he knows about alliances. He understands strategy and choosing the best teammate.
From his siblings, my youngest has learned lyrics to songs, jokes, pick up lines (His favorite is "Good thing I have a library card because I am checking you out.") and dance moves. He dresses and talks like a teenager. Sometimes it is so preciously cute. Other times it is rather scary. When he was three, he went to his well appointment at the doctor wearing jeans, a sweatshirt and flip-flops. Even the doctor laughed about his teenage influence. He cracks us up singing Justin Bieber, Maroon 5 and Katy Perry. He has learned incredible wit and comedic timing. He is not afraid to stand up for himself and throw a few insults your way. (Isn't that how we all deal with siblings?) It's just funny to see a (now) 6 year old and a near 20 year old arguing. For the record, the six year old usually throws such zingers at his older brother that the older brother concedes.
The most recent influence of older siblings came in this exchange:
Doug (the six year old) came home from school and said "Mr. Jones (the principal, whose name I changed for privacy) came into our class today and said 'You are my favorite afternoon kindergarten class.' I laughed because we are the ONLY afternoon kindergarten class. Mr. Jones said 'See, he gets it!' and it was funny."
After retelling the story a few times, Doug's older sibling influence is blatantly obvious. If he tells you the story now it goes like this:
"So, Mr. Jones walked into our class (dramatic pause) and said 'You are my favorite afternoon kindergarten class.' And it was funny because we are the only afternoon kindergarten class. Ba-dump-chhh"
Seriously, the kid is hilarious and every time he talks, or moves I see the influences of his siblings. It makes my heart so happy and makes me look forward to watching their growing relationships from siblings to (hopefully) friends.
By the way, the joke goes like this:
A man walks into a bar...and says "OW!" ba-dump-chhh!
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