A parent planned three children with age gaps similar to their own siblings and aimed to keep daughters close. Big kids are asked to play with their younger sister for a short time, without turning the youngest into a responsibility or requiring parenting tasks. The parent avoids assigning chores like dressing, bathing, or brushing teeth, while still setting boundaries through occasional reminders. The household shifts when siblings spend too much time apart, such as excessive tablet use or long periods watching TV. When siblings become absorbed in separate activities, the parent intervenes by encouraging them to reconnect through shared play and conversation. The daughters enjoy each other but still need time together to prevent boredom and isolation.
"And that means I often make my big kids play with their little sister. Even if they don't want to. It's not that I force them to babysit her or care for her. I don't make them take her to the bathroom or do things like get her dressed or brush her teeth (although I for sure yell from the opposite end of the house when I have raw chicken in my hands, "Can someone please tie her shoes for her?!")."
"But I do say to my 11-year-old and my 7-year-old, "Hey, I need you to play with your sister for a little bit." We aren't running a Duggar house here. My youngest isn't her sisters' "responsibility." I'm not asking them to parent her. But she is a member of this house who deserves to have playmates and friends in her sisters... even if they'd rather be doing something else."
"I can feel the shift in the house when my kids aren't spending enough time with each other. When I've let the big kids have their tablets for too long, or when they've all spent far too much time glued to the TV instead of talking to each other. It's like everything gets a little off balance, and I have to course-correct - and that means making them hang out together."
"Let me be clear: All of my girls adore each other. But everyone gets tired of hide-and-seek (my youngest's favorite game) or the many, many questions asked during movies (my middle's favorite pastime). Sometimes they've all just been in their own little worlds a little too much for me, and I need them all to reconnect."
Read at Scary Mommy
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