Siblings and Sharing Graciously

What is it about children in the backseat of a car that can drive a parent to the brink of insanity. Having been a child that only exhibited the best and most thoughtful and caring behaviors, I do not know where my children get this from. (Must be their father.)

The most recent event is the blond haired doll dressed in a pink sweatsuit on her way to accompany Tatum to daycare. After carefully selecting the clothes she will wear to daycare, Tatum has tediously buckled, I think Lexi is her name, into the seat between her and Sydney. Now we are on our way. As you probably know, this is not a serene moment. I am pretty much buckling up, holding my bagel between my teeth as I back out of the driveway. After all it is the morning. I am hoping to just get a few moments to listen to the news on the radio. Ha ha ha....no such luck.

We are barely to the first stop sign when I hear Sydney ask if she can see Tatum's doll. In my head, I'm thinking.....here we go. Tatum ignores her and looks out the window. So Sydney asks again. Tatum ignores her again. The first thought I am having is Sydney hasn't played with dolls in years and even then, she wasn't that fond of them. What is she trying to do?
Meanwhile, Sydney keeps asking and now Tatum says "no". I'm in the front seat pretending that I don't hear a word in the backseat, eating my bagel and of course not listening to the news even though I did have it on.

Now comes the "Mom, Tatum won't let me see the doll." Why, does she want to see the doll??? Why right now? just to bother Tatum?? Tatum says "I don't want her to see Lexi." So now here I am telling Tatum to just let Sydney see Lexi for a few minutes and then she can have her back. Tatum is not happy about this and I explain that I make Sydney share with her. Still in the back of my head I'm finding this whole thing ridiculous because I really just want to call Sydney out on the whole thing but I also want to teach Tatum that she has to share....Ugh!

You think it stops there....ha ha ha.....no it gets better. Now I hear Tatum saying "You're not holding her right" Then Sydney says "I'm holding her just fine." Tatum wants her to be cradled in Syd's arms and Sydney wants to put her over her shoulder. Here comes my inner selfish child - Why are they doing this to me on my way to work.

I turn the radio down and tell them very calmly to put Lexi back in her seat belt NOW! She will ride there the rest of the way to daycare. "I'm putting her in the seat belt" "No, I'm putting her in the seat belt" "Mom, told me to do it." "Lexi is my baby" "Stop it" "you stop it"

Needless to say, Lexi rode the rest of the way to daycare up front next to me with both of my children glaring out opposite sides of the car.

Ahhhh, don't you just love teaching children the art of sharing graciously, while trying to pay attention to driving.