My, we have covered a lot of material this past year that it’s difficult for me to pick which one is my favorite post from 2022. But if I had to choose one, it would be From Only to First: Siblings.

As an only child, I obviously didn’t grow up with brothers or sisters. I can’t relate to conversations about sibling rivalries and camaraderie. So, when our twin daughters came into our world, I didn’t know how our eldest son would be.

When I wrote this post in January, he was starting to figure out his role with his sisters. He played with them, shared his toys, even offered a hug if one of them needed it. But it wasn’t until my husband recently got hit with food poisoning did I get to see exactly how influential siblings are to one another.

My 5-year-old stepped up to the plate to help with his toddler sisters, showcasing his leadership skills and empathy by guiding them to do basic chores like cleaning up their toys or talking to them when they have a conflict.

What’s interesting is that as his confidence increases with helping his siblings, so does his willingness to take on more tasks around the house and in our neighborhood. That willingness also rubs off on his sisters, and now they are interested in helping with in simple tasks. Having all three of them involved in our daily routine is a HUGE help for me and I couldn’t have asked for more.

All the worry I had about changes in family dynamic have gone out the window. I can finally see now how siblings really do help each other grow.

So to all the parents who want or are expecting a second child and are nervous about this big change, I assure you things will change for the better. Hope you like the post!

~Mary

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