Temporary Hiatus

hello all,
well, the title says it all, basically. Pip and I are going to be taking a short[ish] break from this blog [and our personal blogs as well] for awhile. I'm not sure how long Pip will be gone, but I do know that I will be gone until June 5th, which means the next time I post on here will be Monday, June 7th [which also happens to be my little brother's birthday!].

So, until then, I bid thee all farewell. Have a good week!

Blessings,
~Laura

Interview with Miss Hailey M.

The other day, I got the chance to interview a good friend of mine. I was going to post about middle siblings, until I realized that since I am the oldest sibling, I'm really not sure what it's like to be the middle kid. So Hailey was kind enough to answer some questions for me.

Your name: Hailey M., and I'm 13

How many siblings do you have? 2

In short, what is it like being the middle sibling? It is fun being able to have some "older kid" advantages and some "younger kid" advantages, but then again, you get the same older and younger disadvantages... like you can get bossed around by the older one and then annoyed by the younger. But when something new and different like learning to drive or going into high school comes along, you would already know what it would be like from the older sib, so it wouldn't seem as scary.

Would you rather be the oldest, youngest, or do you like being the middle kid? I generally like being the middle, but I would also really like to be the oldest.

What are some things you have in common with your oldest sister? We both like the same movies and the same books a lot of the time, so we have a fun time watching and reading and talking together. And, she really likes the story I am writing, so we can bond over that.

...and what are some things you have in common with your youngest sister? We both enjoy making movies. We will sometimes film them, but sometimes we will just act them. That is one thing that she and I have in common that allows us to spend a lot of time together. Right now, though, I know I am not spending enough time with her, and I need to find new things I can do with her.

[of course, I had to ask her one last question. ;-) ]

Do you like chocolate? Yes. Dark chocolate is heavenly. Milk chocolate is good. White chocolate can only be eaten frozen.

So there you have it. :-D And thank you so much, Hailey, for answering my questions!

~Laura

Something like a Light Bulb

A psychologist recently oversaw an experiment where a classroom was divided into two halves, all working on a couple projects of the same nature. One half of the kids were congratulated on their intelligence in finishing the project before being given a second one, and the other half was congratulated for their determination to stick the project out to the end. After all the projects were completed, the grades showed that the group who had been praised for their determination actually did better than those who were praised for their intelligence. The study proves that it's determination, not intellectual capacity, that matters. Instead of stressing that we might not reach our previous level of intelligent accomplishment, we are encouraged that our determination will see us through reaching for that same goal.
This concept should be applied to how we treat our siblings, the younger ones especially. Instead of upbraiding them for spilling apple juice all over the place, help them clean it up and praise them for a job well done. Instead of telling them how stupid they must be for not figuring out the tricky math problem, encourage them to think hard and struggle with it alongside them. (Hey: you were once tearing up over the exact same types of problems!) If your sibling knows that they won't automatically become less intelligent for failing at their task, they'll be much more encouraged to press on in the mindset that everything is possible. Have patience with your siblings and they will be happier in knowing that you cared enough about them to walk hand in hand.
"I have not failed a thousand times; I know a thousand ways how not to invent the light bulb." -Thomas Edison

I love my sister.

[note: I thought I had posted this on Monday....only to realize just now that I hit "save now" and left the page, instead of "publish post". O.o Golly.]

I really love my little seven year old sister, "Belle". It was foggy this morning, and when she woke up she ran over to the window and said "Look, it's froggy outside!" Dad tried explaining "no, it's foggy, not fRoggy." Her reply?
"Noo, Dad, see, God makes the frogs jump WAAAY up high, they land on the clouds, and push them down here so we can see them better. That's why it's FROGGY. But grownups call it foggy."

Aren't little siblings just the best? :-D

~Laura

Meet the Writers

Laura
Hi there! You can call me Laura. I started the Sibling Challenge after a desperate need to spend more time with my younger siblings, and I wanted to be accountable for it so I wouldn't be tempted to slack off. Having five younger brothers and two younger sisters, it can be hard to take time off from what I want to spend time doing what they want to do, but the Lord is helping me. It is my sincere hope and prayer that you are blessed by this blog. You can read my personal blog here: Shieldmaiden for God

Pip
[coming soon.]

Katie
[Coming soon]