We had a friend’s daughter here the other morning.  From about 7:45 to 2, I had four wonderful, happy, playing children.  They colored, played school, basketball, watch Mickey Mouse and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company.  It was really nice.  I was not beckened every five seconds and actually managed to get some things I wanted to do, done!

I savored it.  Drank it in.  Relished the peaceful play.  Pretended it was all because I was a good mother and sitter.

And then she left.

And reality settled back on my home again.

Within five minutes, Katie and Sarah were at it.

“Moooommm! Katie fiiiggghhtttt!”

Oh geez.

“Momma, Sarah hit meeee!”

Holy cow!

And then the wrestling began.  Sarah tackles Katie, who starts kicking, while Megan looks on wondering if she has to claim these sisters her whole life.  I stand and watch for a moment, because, honestly, it is kind of funny.  I try to decided if I have to break them up or if they need to learn to work it out themselves.  And then Sarah gets kicked in the head.

Drat.

This is how it has been lately in our home.  A home of three daughters who, unbeknownst to me, have zero interest in fixing each other’s hair, playing Barbie’s together, or sharing deep dark sisterly secrets.  In fact, if Pepto Bismol were not my interior designer, I could convince myself that they are boys!  Rough, active, aggressive, boys.

Seriously.  Katie body slams her sister’s at will.  Sarah kicked and hits and pulls and pushes.  And Megan, even at 18 months, pushes her big sister’s away, throws a fit and grabs at any toy that they might have in their hands.

It is a boxing ring and it is every girl for herself around here.  Including me. And my husband.  But he’s a boy. Just in case I needed to clarify that.

I wonder, are all siblings like this?  Do they all treat friends and schoolmates really well and then beat the noodles out of each other, just for fun?  If they have lived together their whole lives, shouldn’t they have an inside track on working things out without violence?  A sisterly understanding, so to speak?

It baffles me.  It really does.

But if they are going to do, I guess the least I could do is buy them boxing gloves.  Teach them a sport.  And how to hit.  And make sure the batteries are charged in the camera.