Sibling Revelry

Yesterday, at a gathering of moms, the subject of new babies and older siblings came up. We all reassured the expectant mom-of-a-toddler-with-baby-number-two-on-the-way that the whole "sibling rivalry" thing is, in great part, manufactured by TV sitcoms. If we let our kids take their cues from TV as to how they "should" react to brothers and sisters, then, yes, the rivalry arises. But, if we let them take their cues from their instincts to love and -- most importantly -- from us, they will display surprisingly tender, beautiful and sometimes even selfless reactions to their helpless new little brothers and sisters. I have given my children no better gift than that of siblings. It's a gift that need never be returned, exchanged or altered to fit. Revel in it.