Brotherly Responsibilities

Thomas is what most people would consider a very calm boy. He has two siblings, both sisters, and he stays home with his sisters and his mother all day long. He is constantly being told to be gentle, take care of his sisters, be a gentleman. He is not one to be climbing in closets, or even one to be playing a lot of ball. He loves to cook in the kitchen with Sarah Grace, whipping up all manner of yummy creations. He enjoys teaching Sarah Grace all the things he has learned, and is generally good to just play contentedly with Sarah Grace and Elizabeth in a more or less quite fashion.

Lately however, when Joshua walks through the door in the evenings, Thomas and all his pent up testosterone attack him, growling "Let's fight, Daddy!" He hurls himself at his Daddy, smacking him about with his sword until at last the great Daddy falls forward, crying mercy. Thomas will jaunt about announcing his defeat as the girls look upon the scene, Sarah Grace occasionally offering up a kiss to make it all better. Then the beast rouses, and the ruckus continues.

Today Thomas and Sarah Grace and Elizabeth were all playing rather peacefully in Thomas's room when I heard a shriek that brought me to immediate attention. Did I need to interfere or was it one of those things to let them work out amongst themselves? As I perked up my ears to try to listen in more closely to what was going on, I heard Thomas grunt a couple of times and proclaim he got it. Then he came running through the living room and into the kitchen. The next thing I heard was a kitchen cabinet slam and the pitter patter of Thomas feet as he ran back to the living room.

'I caught the monster and I fwew it away in the twash can. Sawuh Gace didn't like it bovering her under the bed. It maked her scared.'

And he ran back to Sarah Grace and told her loudly and proudly, 'It's my basponstabidatee to take care of you. I won't let the monster get you. You just tell me and I will just catch it and fwow it away for you.'

Sarah Grace promptly played the damsel in distress as she pointed out several monsters for her brave brother to bundle off to the 'twash can'.