What's Gonna Work? Teamwork.

Sung to the popular WonderPets theme song.

When other moms tell me how wonderfully their kids play together, I watch them but am rarely impressed. Maybe kids play together differently when they are at home but my kids take the cake. Hadley and Vincent play fantastically together! They are aware of one another, they use their imagination with one another, they follow one another around, they rarely bicker. I estimate that I have to break them up maybe about once a week, if that, and never physically. Sometimes siblings just need a break from each other. Granted, Hadley is usually the leader or imagination to the game (she has taught Vincent well though) and they don't always play together but they do always watch what the other one is doing and like to join them. If they go outside to play and Hadley comes in to use the potty, Vincent gets upset and wants her to come back. As I type this, it has gotten a little bit too quiet but I'm not worried, they've been playing something together and I have no doubt that they are still playing very nicely with one another.

I've seen siblings who don't even acknowledge that the other one exists or they taunt one another and are fighting. Sure they both like to do their own thing but for the most part, they miss each other and like playing with one another. When Hadley goes to play dates I don't think Vincent can articulate it but he misses her. I usually try and make up for it and play with him. I hope that he and Lauren can continue with the example that Hadley has set when she starts school in the Fall.

Sometimes I worry that they play too well together. When other kids are over, they just don't seem to understand how to play as well and I see Hadley and Vincent getting frustrated and anxious for the kids to leave so they can pick up their games. Luckily Vincent is easy-going enough to go along and play the games Hadley makes up. And Hadley is learning to 'give' a little artistic freedom to Vincent's ideas and imagination.