The Daily Hailey

One of the big opinions about large families is that they count on their older kids to raise their younger kids. It may be so in some cases, and I certainly don’t want to open up a forum for conflict. I know there are  a lot of opinions out there. I have opinions too. But its my blog 😉 So I can share all of the opinions I want!

In my opinion, we are not one of these families.

I don’t think any family would willingly say that they counted on their older kids to raise their younger ones. So maybe you can just take my word for it. We’re not that family. I will admit that our kids do things to help around here, and some of that involves getting diapers, throwing them away, retrieving blankets, soothers, burp pads, etc. In that way, the older ones help with the younger ones. In my opinion, that is part of sharing a house with someone. You help each other out. I was the youngest in my family, and I had plenty to do that involved helping my siblings out. We are simply teaching our kids not to be selfish, and to think of others.

During breakfast this morning, the kids were eating and Brady and I were doing dishes and getting the house tidied up a little bit. After a while, I heard Solly start to fuss in his bouncy chair beside the table. He wasn’t crying or too terribly upset, so I didn’t head over right away. He often gets over that kind of thing really quickly, and he did this time as well, within a minute or two. When I finally did look up from the dishes, I saw that Dekker had pulled Sollys bouncy chair right up to his dining chair, and he was ever so gently bouncing it with his foot. While he ate breakfast, he had consoled Solomon, all on his own.

Now, some may say this is our big kids having to care for our little kids, and how unfair is that? That a four year old would have that responsibility, to console the crying baby. But he didn’t! It was natural for him! He saw a need, and he met it in an act of love. He was not forced, bribed, or even asked.

How crazy to think that sometimes people do nice things for others because *gasp* they want to!!

I am so very proud of my kids, and the love they have, and show, for one another!

I wouldn’t dream of rushing them to grow up.

Oh, darlings, don’t you ever grow up, just stay this little…