I try to instill in my kids the desire to build friendships with their siblings.
Currently Sweet Cheeks, Hallmark & Joyful are playing doctor and patient. Third is listening to an audiobook (his new favorite quiet activity).
I know different personalities interact better than others so I just encourage natural interaction and attempt to instill common courtesies and social skills.
When I do want the kids to spend time together, I try to let them do something they both love. Like eating apples!
Bonding over hard work is another way to deepen relationships. Have you ever trained for something? Didn’t you get close with your training buddy? (Introvert talking here, I trained alone but I did share a lot with other running friends.
The kids have a few chores to do throughout the week. Enter bonding over putting dishes away and dragging garbage bags out on the street.
Dress up is another sure-fire way for the kids to play together. Whether it’s cowboys or ballerinas.
I pray our kids treasure these built-in friendships. No matter where we go, we’ll always be living with these friends until adulthood.
I hope the hubs and I set a good example. He’s my best friend and I love to spend time with him. The more I interact with him and show emotions (laughing, excited, serious, etc) as the kids are present, the better it is for them to witness how to build a strong friendship.
