Bickering

It's amazing how much bickering there can be in a large family. When I am around, it is 'MAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is bothering me!!!!!!!!!!' all the time. No problem can be solved without loudly informing me first. No breath can be taken by a sibling without major complaining. No insults can be hurled without me having to be there to stop them.

But...

I found the secret.


I can make magic happen.


If I remove myself from the situation, suddenly they can solve things by themselves just fine. I am not annoyed anymore about the constant interruptions. And they show the negotiation skills they sometimes seem to possess.

This can be as simple as grabbing a go book and a cup of tea and retreating to my bedroom or the yard.


Nobody gets killed and they can resolve all their bickering. Or at least do it without having to inform me of every nuance of it.


Amazing magic. The joys of hands-off parenting ^^