Boy #1 isn't so sure that his younger brothers are capable of doing anything. Because he has always been the trail blazer, he is simply used to doing everything and tends to get a bit conceited about his abilities versus his brothers.
We realized we were relying too much on him and had to have a few teaching lessons with Boy #2 to show him how to put DVDs going, wash dishes in HOT water, sweep dirt into a dustpan and fold jeans, none of which he was excited to do, except the dishes.
With Boy #3, he wants to do everything, even though he doesn't quite know how or isn't quite able to. At five, he is NOT willing to take any guff from older brothers about what he can or can't do. (I think he got a stubborn gene from both Mom and Dad.)
It has always been #1's job to make the sandwiches for lunch. I buy a natural brand of peanut butter that is a bit more goopy and runny than Jif, so ability really matters in this chore. (Cleaning peanut butter drips off the table, floor and bench just isn't much fun.)
This doesn't sit well with #3, who wants to do everything himself about three years too early. He finally wore me down yesterday with his incessant whining - I gave in and let him make his own sandwich. (Apparently older brother has cooties or something.)
To his credit, he was pretty careful, but his brothers were hecklers from the get-go, insisting that he was going to get peanut butter all over everything.
His response was classic from Number Three: "I'm five! I know how to concentrate!"
Slow and steady wins the race in peanut butter sandwiches and putting older brothers in their place.
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