Brothers: A New Family Dynamic

brothers

Things have changed somewhat in the Cawood house recently. The family dynamic has altered. Right now it’s all about the brothers. My two have always been close and almost always got along fairly well. There’s an age gap though so for a while they didn’t play together much.

Over the past month or so, and especially over the recent half term it has been ALL about the brothers. K has a cool man den/attic bedroom and they just both disappear off up there and hang out. They are at the age now where they are fairly self-sufficient, or mostly. I love their new-found independence and the fact that they get on so well. They’re considerate of each other, have hobbies in common and just get on SO well. The thing is, they don’t seem to need me so much anymore.

I have to admit that when it first became all about the brothers I was thrilled. Then a bit miffed at being completely surplus to requirements. Now though, I love it. They disappear off upstairs for hours, which reminds me, I must check for snack plates, cups and so on, and love spending time together. It’s new but it’s great. A new chapter sort of. They still need me. We all still have family time together. They just prefer to have brothers hanging out time more, and more often. 

I won’t complain. At least they aren’t bickering!

Brothers Getting Along

brothers

My two are both so different and yet so very much the same. Does that make sense? With nearly five years between them and Kieran approaching teenagedom at an alarming speed I expected them to start fighting and be falling out more by now. I suspect that the age gap is working well in a way because Taylor is too young to play on Kieran’s yard at school (so can’t get in the way with his frinds) and by the time he is, Kieran will have left primary and started secondary school (that’s a scary thought that deserves a blog post all of its own).

While right now they are getting on so well, other than the odd spat here and there I’m not blinkered to the fact that when hormones start to interfere that this might not always be the case (I’m one of six siblings; my parents were saints not to duct-tape us to a lorry and let it drive off during our teenage bickering years).

I’m not quite ready to give up seeing Kieran come out of one school door and Taylor another at the end of the day, when they launch themselves at each other and hug (every day without fail) before running off to play but right now can’t see how to avoid it? Is it inevitable? Is there a way to maintain the cracking brotherly friendship they have going on now? I’m sure if brotherly war does break out they’ll become friends again once they come out the other side, me and my siblings did but if any of you have any hints or tips for making that transition easier do share!