Chez Moi

One of the top reasons any parent gives for going in for child #2 is for the child to have siblings and to understand and appreciate the bond. Spouse, friends, other family members are all fine but a sibling has a special place in one’s life indeed. After all, there’s no one else who shares the same background as you, who can understand where you might be coming from, considering theirs is the same.

I had longed for my son to have a sibling of his own. When he was around three, the way he used to interact with a friend’s daughter, who’s exactly a year younger than him used to fill my friend and I with this glow. Barely a foot himself, he used to guide her tricycle with a hand behind her seat and another one holding on to her handle bars. It made both of us go “awww!” and the friend to state “oh he’d make a fantastic big brother, di!” I agreed with her whole-heartedly.

P is such a sensitive, protective soul, the absolute best big brother material.

And in one week, I have seen instances of it that has made my heart sing and had my friend not in Chennai now, would make her say “I told you so” with much glee.

So we wanted to go for a walk on Sunday afternoon, to enjoy some rare end summer sun. “Let’s get her buggy out and we can all go for a walk, P - you can even ride your bicycle if you want!” suggested I. But no. “No mummy, let’s not do that, all my older friends will be playing and they might harm the baby!”, says my baby!!

The other night, he was watching telly while the baby was lying next to him staring at nothing in particular. Or so we’d thought. P looked at her and decided she was watching telly too, which was a big no no. Before any of us realised what was happening, he took off at a rapid clip, went to the crib, selected one of the brightly coloured animal toys and plonked it next to her, away from the telly, thus distracting her! Clever boy or what?

Then last night during dinner, he was sitting on the sofa and the baby was on awake, right next to him. Suddenly, there was a squeal! “Mummy look, the baby smiled at me. Look she is smiling at me!” Sure enough, she had a dopey grin on her face but her brother sported a bigger one.

Let’s hope this mutual love lasts.