Brothers

For the most part, Robert and Christopher get on well together. But with the difference in age, ability, and understanding of various concepts brings the challenge of how to get on well all the time. Robert gets frustrated easily with Christopher who likes to come up and knock over towers he's built, or take a car from the line-up he's playing with, or break up a jigsaw. Christopher gets frustrated because Robert won't let him play with things. When Robert gets frustrated, he tends to push Christopher out of the way, usually with his head as his hands are occupied.

I don't know if it was provoked, or if he just felt like it, but while I was having a wee while the boys were in the bath next to me, I suddenly saw Robert push Christopher, who fell sideways face first into the bath. I lunged so quickly, knickers round my ankles, hitting my knee on something on the way down, and grabbed Christopher up out of the water. He started coughing and spluttering, and crying, and as he was inconsolable in the bath, I got a towel and got him out, and cuddled him, and while I did that, I told Robert how dangerous it was to push people in the bath. The tone of my voice made him listen, I was shaking for a good half hour after it happened, and I really wanted him to know how serious it was and that he shouldn't do that. I didn't want to get into the concept of drowning and death in those words, but I did tell him that people can't breathe under water and if their face goes underwater and they can't breathe, they have to go to hospital, and the doctors there will try and make them better, but sometimes they can't make them better. I left it at that, but impressed it several times in the hope that it sunk in.

They do love each other though, and most of the time it shows. Robert will do something that Christopher finds funny, Robert will do it over and over to make him laugh. :) Christopher loves to give Robert kisses - unfortunately, with his wide open mouth and the TEETH lunging towards you, Christopher's kisses are quite scary and sometimes painful, despite the sweet intent. While toys can prove a battleground, when the boys just have themselves, a table and the run of downstairs, they have so much fun, chasing each other around, giggling and squealing. They really are good friends, and I hope as they proportionally become closer in age, they will get on better and better :)