I was a little worried how my middle child would adjust to being the oldest when his big sister headed to school this year. They’ve always been pretty inseparable, and he spends most of his days wondering about her whereabouts, comfort, and happiness, so I thought it would be a pretty traumatic shift, but I hoped it would end in a shift of attention to his baby brother who so adores him.
While that shift didn’t really happen (maybe when said little brother stops laughing maniacally while destroying whatever he’s built), he has settled in nicely.
He still wants to come to the bus stop with us every time to see her off with encouraging words or welcome her home with enthusiasm, but he finds plenty of ways to amuse himself while she’s gone.
For instance, her room is a whole new place to explore. “Oh hi mom. Um…can I touch it?”
The trains can go any direction without meeting resistance.
And sometimes a little undisturbed reading time with a quality princess book can be nice.
Is the first kid heading off the biggest shift for the others, or is it an equal adjustment every time around?
First and last Alisa…the first because we don’t want them to be that old yet, the last because we don’t want to be that old yet! ;)
Some are harder to send off than others…. I imagine that the last one would be the hardest for us Moms.