Over the last few months the harmony in the household has shifted. Hormones have come into play. Our boy is becoming a young man and feels the instincts to lead and be a protector. This is completely normal and part of the passage to adulthood. The trouble is he’s using those new skills on his little sister and she’s none too impressed!
Grand Master D wants Miss Gremlin to do things his way, he’s a little fastidious but she doesn’t want to be told what to do. They just push each others buttons way too much. It’s a power struggle everyday.
At the moment, we’re right in the middle of a warzone or so it seems. I’m the referee and I’m getting rather tired of it. I’ve tried several tactics but so far nothing seems to be working. Short of banging their heads together and I’ve seriously considered it or making them sit together for hours until they are nice to each other, I have to go searching for new ideas.
I’ll admit they’ve spent a lot of time together recently, especially during our trip.
You can’t spend that much time with each other and not get on one another’s nerve. We all know that can cause anyone to become irritated. Taking all that into account, I am struggling to find the way through.
It hasn’t helped that I have been depressed either. I don’t have the energy to sort it out. I just want them to stop fighting and I guess I haven’t really looked at it in a way that I can see a clear path through.
I’m hoping that the separation of school will help the situation and I am actively looking for new ways to teach them to respect each other and know their boundaries. Grand Master D needs to remember that although he’s older and a boy, he’s not Miss Gremlin’s parent and it’s not his job to correct her in certain things. It’s difficult, he has this innate sense of being protector and she has a stronger personality and knows how to push all his buttons as well. Rough combination.
I have explained to him over and over that he needs to let her make the mistakes. He was able to make them without an older sibling standing over everything he did. She deserves the same. It’s hard when they have to share a bedroom but we’ll work on a solution so they can have their own space to cool off.
I’m looking for new tactics…..It’s unchartered waters for us but many have gone before and there will be a solution. I’ve come back from our trip with some closure and a new attitude. Things are easier to cope with and I know I can solve this somehow, it’s just a matter of finding the right tactic.