Family Dynamics

I have an odd family dynamic.  I'd explain it, but it doesn't really matter for purposes of this post.  Here is the Clff Notes version.

I have an older brother and younger sister.  My brother is 1.5 yrs older than me, my sister 5.5 yrs younger.  My brother and I have the same father, sister and I have different.  Never in the world could you imagine three children who are so completely and utterly different from each other.

I don't know my dad.  I know who he is, but I don't really know him.  He is a voice on the end of the phone.  I don't know how he takes his coffee.  I don't know his favorite type of movies.  I don't know what he likes to do on Sunday afternoons.  What is strange to me, however, are traits that my brother and I have of his.  Neither of us spent much time with him growing up.  Summers sometimes but never anything I can recall.  Camping when I graduated high school but I was molded by then.  My dad is a good man, this post isn't about knocking him.

My brother has his laugh.  And he looks just like him.  I mean, just like him.  I have my dad's body.  Which isn't that great, given that my mom is super skinny.  I have his hair.  I have his temperment. 

This post isn't about feeling bad for me either, I rarely feel bad about my family dynamic.  Sure, there are times I wish I had what my friends had, but I usually didn't feel like I was missing much.  I was more independent than my brother, though.  And I think boys need their fathers more than girls do. 

I remember telling Brad long before we had kids that I would never be jealous of his relationship with our kids, especially if we had a girl.  Every girl needs a strong man in her life, and if it isn't her father, then it will usually be someone else. 

So for any woman who reads this, build your husbands up.  Let them be the man.  Let them lead the house.  Let them skirt responsibility sometimes, if it means they are spending time with the kids or even you! 

For the men reading, build your wives up.  Tell her she is beautiful, even if she hasn't had a shower.  Do the dishes for her one night so she can relax.  Order out so  you can all spend time together. 

If there is one thing I've learned in my short time as a parent, its that we should be the parents we always said we would be. 

Give hugs.  Give kisses.  Let them make a mess.  Take them to the park.  Let them be kids.  And let each other be human.  We all make mistakes, but we are a family.  And families rule.