The funny thing about genetics is that siblings born from the same parents can have totally different personalities.
Case in point: My 2 girls.
Even though they are young....Kate is almost 4 and Claire just turned 2, they are SO, SO different! Anyone else have kids that are totally different?
I remember when I was pregnant with Claire, I just assumed that he or she would be similar to Kate. Wow, was I wrong!
Kate is softer spoken, a gentle spirit, so sweet, a pleaser, and is content coloring or doing puzzles for hours. She has such a kind heart and is a good listener. I look at her and see innocence. She is a total rule follower.
Claire, on the other hand is NON STOP.
She is always on the go. She is full of energy & pizazz.
She is spunky & has a spark in her eyes...you don't want to mess with her! ha!
She has had more time outs in 2 years than Kate has had in 3.5 years.
She doesn't sit still and will do an activity for a few minutes and then moves on to the next thing. She loves to dress up & wear jewelry. Or, she just likes to wear no clothes at all.
She marches to the beat of her own drum!
Claire is the life of the party...she is a FUN and crazy little girl!
This girl is going to give me a heart attack one day!
Case in point: These pictures of my girls wearing their San Francisco Giants baseball hat TOTALLY depict their personalities.
Kate wears her hat forward facing:
She makes sure it is straight & centered.
Even though they are young....Kate is almost 4 and Claire just turned 2, they are SO, SO different! Anyone else have kids that are totally different?
I remember when I was pregnant with Claire, I just assumed that he or she would be similar to Kate. Wow, was I wrong!Kate is softer spoken, a gentle spirit, so sweet, a pleaser, and is content coloring or doing puzzles for hours. She has such a kind heart and is a good listener. I look at her and see innocence. She is a total rule follower.
Claire, on the other hand is NON STOP.
She is always on the go. She is full of energy & pizazz.
She is spunky & has a spark in her eyes...you don't want to mess with her! ha!
She has had more time outs in 2 years than Kate has had in 3.5 years.
She doesn't sit still and will do an activity for a few minutes and then moves on to the next thing. She loves to dress up & wear jewelry. Or, she just likes to wear no clothes at all.
She marches to the beat of her own drum!
Claire is the life of the party...she is a FUN and crazy little girl!
This girl is going to give me a heart attack one day!
Case in point: These pictures of my girls wearing their San Francisco Giants baseball hat TOTALLY depict their personalities.
Kate wears her hat forward facing:
She makes sure it is straight & centered.
"Does my hat look perfect, Mommy?"
Claire, on the other hand wears her hat backward.
REFUSES to wear it facing forward, in fact, when Kate tried to "fix" her hat, Claire freaked out & threw a temper tantrum.
And, proceeded to switch her hat backwards, immediately.
Kate's look of horror when Claire put the hat on backwards...."Claire, NO! Fix the hat!"
It's funny how wearing a hat can represent these 2 little girls.One thing is certain....despite their differences, these sisters sure do love each other and love being around each other. (Praying that continues as they get older!)
The past few months I have realized that I have to parent them differently, and I think that's okay. It makes me appreciate my parents more. I remember growing up, complaining to my parents saying, "That's not fair" when one of my sister's got something and I didn't (and vice versa). Now, I have realized they were just parenting us differently based on our personalities & behaviors. You have to do that when your kids are different from each other.
And that's okay.
I love them both the same, but they just have different needs & demands which require different responses and reactions from us.
Who ever said parenting was easy? They obviously didn't have kids!
Even though this parenting thing is hard work, it sure is worth it.
But, it's only going to get harder as they get older.
Lord, help us. For real...we can't do it without Him!
Nate and Alex are opposites in everything and they are twins!
ReplyDeleteAlex: quiet, SUPER active, has always been into everything, picky eater, bad sleeper, true sweetheart
Nate: loud, couch potato, prefers talking to being into things, eats anything, sleeps like a log, temperamental and OPINIONATED!
Whenever I hear of first time parents talking about how their kids KNOW the rules, I hope they get an Alex for the second kid.
Whenever I hear of first time parents talking about what a good easy-going baby they have, I hope they get a Nate for the second kid.
I think I've learned more about parenting by having one of each! It helps me see how much is the kid (99%) and how much is the parent (1%).
Amen, Lord help us! I definitely can't do it alone either. What precious little girls. This post made me think of my sister and I. Two years apart, look so very much alike, but night and day. We are completely different in the way we react, think, talk, love, EVERYTHING. Funny how unique we all are.
ReplyDeleteSuch sweet girls you have! I love how you described each of them. I have an older sister and she is my best friend, but we are very different and always have been. I agree that you have to adapt your parenting to the child and no two are exactly alike! You are right - the Lord will guide us if we seek Him and show us the way!
ReplyDeleteMy girls are 364 days apart.. Abby (just turned 3) is JUST as you described Kate! And Lauren (just turned 2) is JUST as you described Claire!! I feel like I could have written this post, myself! What's funny is that Abby looks exactly like me and Lauren looks just like Micheal. Seems to be true with your girls, too. :)
ReplyDeleteKaylin and Mara are total opposites and they are twins!!!
ReplyDeleteKaylin is a leader, follows the rules most of the time, type a person and a kind person.
Mara is a crazy, wild girl, but has so much fun...she is like your Claire...the life of the party! But, so good too...she loves to sit and do things, where Kaylin is always on the move!
I have to parent different, but I try to keep everything fair around here...that is one of the biggest issues we have...if one gets something, the other has to have it!
I totally agree with your friend Laura! I thought I had it so "together" parenting my first child. Boy did the second one really throw me for a loop!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to my world for the past 7 or so years! I have two VERY DIFFERENT boys, and they require completely different parenting. PHEW! But I love them more than life.
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you! My boys are similar in age to your girls, and I observe the same things that you do. My older son, Will, is a lot like Kate. Ben, my baby, is so much like Claire. As they get older I can see even more personality emerging. Isn't it neat how you love them so much even though they are so different. Such a blessing!
ReplyDeleteCute post! The hat idea was so creative. Claire seems a lot like me when I was little...I tired my mama out! (: And of course, GO GIANTS! So exciting!
ReplyDeleteI only have one daughter right now. But I will say that I think the differences have to do with birth order. As the oldest, I was much more like your Kate. My sister is like Claire. Us firstborns are good girls who want to please. :)
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I love your blog! I am a far away follower from North Dakota - not sure how I found you but I do enjoy reading about your family and especially your sweet little girls! I am the mother of girls who are 2.5 years apart in age and have been best friends since the day the youngest was born. They are now 22 and 24.5!! They never ever ever went through a hateful stage towards one another. They don't look alike, their personalities are different as are their interests. But one thing always remains constant - their love for each other. People always warned us of the teenage years but honestly they were good too! So enjoy every stage of your girls friendship as sisters! (I have tried your corn dip - LOVE IT!!) Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures Mel and super cute post!
ReplyDeleteI could have written it myself.
My girls are also like night and day, as my own sister and I are too.
You really do have to step back and parent them both differently too.
That last pic of Kate is awesome. Sibs are just awesome. I guess they are God's way of reminding us that each person is unique and wonderfully made. :)
ReplyDeleteKate and Claire are the EXACT same as my sister as I! My sister is just 15 months behind me and couldn't be more different.
ReplyDeleteMalea is just like Kate....Shaylyn, just like Claire. Easton....well, I think he'll be more like Shaylyn, sigh.
ReplyDeleteOMG! Your post just described my two kids. I have a girl (Alexis) and a boy (Liam) and they are about the same age as Kate and Claire. Alexis is just like Kate and Liam is exact like Claire.
ReplyDeleteMy two younger sisters, each have two girls too. Their kids (my nieces) are also completely the opposite. The funny thing is that the older ones are more like how you describe Kate and the 2nd ones are much like Claire.
Do you think it's the First born child and Second child thing...?