Stahlke Adoption

The Joys of a Younger Sibling

There are always pros and cons to the various positions of birth order.  For example, we long ago decided that the front passenger seat, a very desired location, is always reserved for the oldest child.  No questions asked.

I've always read that younger kids benefit from the parents' exhaustion after years of discipline, which gives the children at the bottom of the line-up more freedom.  Sounds correct to me, but that also means the parents are wiser to the tricks:

This morning, one of our kids told me they felt sick and asked for the thermometer.  The first reading, taken in the bathroom, was 108°!  The child exclaimed, "This thermometer isn't working!"  I requested a second attempt.  Once again from the bathroom, the result lowered to 103.5°  This time I insisted that the temperature be taken in my presence.  Now it lowered again, to 98.3°  A fourth attempt, to find some semblance of consistency, revealed 98.4°

Years ago, our eldest child Paul had pulled the "hot water in the bathroom" trick.  I've learned a few things.

posted by Stahlkes @ 11:27 AM