Sibling Connections

When Dinogo reached out to me last month to ask who I'd like to take on a cruise, I was obligated thrilled to reply, “My family, of course!” Then they requested I write about how my children bonded during our journey. Soooo… I considered bending the truth, but here’s the reality: my kids see annoying each other as a competitive sport, and they take it very seriously.

In the festive atmosphere of our Dinogo cruise last month, we indulged in a coconut monkey filled with a delicious non-alcoholic colada while lounging by the pool.

It was a huge success! As the World’s Coolest Parents, we were treated to the delightful sounds of sibling rivalry.

My mistake.

I’m the one who foolishly ordered just ONE for the TWO of them to share.

THE NIGHTMARE.

Luckily… or maybe unfortunately (for those around us)? I’ve reached a stage in parenting these two where I anticipate their reactions and can easily tune them out.

That’s a good effort, Kendall. Take one for the team and pretend you like her. Leyna, we ALL know you don’t want him to touch you. EVERYONE ON THE ISLAND knows you don’t want him to touch you. Right, right, sand is yucky. Uh huh. LOOK HERE! Smile?

But don’t be deceived. We’re aware. We know that these two are perfectly capable of not only getting along but genuinely enjoying each other’s presence. We’ve tested this theory by completely ignoring them and making them figure things out on their own.

During the cruise, we had to find alternative ways to quell the bickering, as leaving them to their own devices really wasn’t an option. (THANK YOU, EXCELLENT SERVICE EVERYWHERE.)

I hate to admit it, but I think they enjoyed the absence of their baby brother. With one parent for each of them at all times, thanks to my generous mother who kept the 20-month-old at home while we were away.

(We’ll definitely need a better plan for next time since we’re absolutely bringing little bro when he’s a bit older. Is it too much to wish that the older two will be more civil to each other by then? Don’t answer that.)

They particularly enjoyed when we engaged in activities with each of them individually, which was incredibly easy to do almost everywhere, from excursions to time spent back on the ship.

However, my absolute favorite way to end their arguments was to simply drop them off at Camp Dinogo for a couple of hours. Sure, we got some much-needed kid-free time to relax. But also, since they were split into different age groups, they spent the entire time in separate rooms, giving them a much-needed break from each other, too.

And when they were brought back together?