Yaya is a lot like my oldest sister. She has one set of rules for herself and another one for the rest.

When my youngest went to Canberra on a school trip, I bought her a scarf and touque to take with her. ( Winter is a lot more colder in Canberra than Brisbane) Yaya has been using both since baby returned from Canberra and didn’t ask Baby once if she could use it. I think she assumes some sort of “superiority” over her sister and thinks that she doesn’t need to ask her before using her stuff.

Baby was sitting in the living room and doing her home work few days ago and her pencil nib broke. Instead of walking all the way to her room to get her sharpener, she stopped by Yaya’s room ( closest to the living room) and took Yaya’s sharpener. All hell broke loose with Yaya screaming at her sister asking her “how dare you take my stuff without asking me for permission”

I remember going through the exact same thing with my oldest sister. She used to take all my things and will not let me touch any of her stuff. And going to my mother was of no use. Her standard response was ” You know chechy doesn’t like anyone taking her stuff, then why do you take it?” and every time I replied ” but she always takes my stuff without even asking me”, my darling mother would reply ” She is your oldest sister Nah? it is your duty to be nice to her, don’t fight with her. after all, how long is she going to be home? And don’t forget, once she leaves home, you will be missing her and thinking if only I had been nice to my oldest sister”

I used to feel so angry with my sister and my mother for being unfair and today I can tell you honestly, I do not miss my oldest sister one bit and don’t wish to have anything to do with her. I am not going to let Baby go through what I went through.

And this time I was ready for Yaya. I had written down each time she took Baby’s stuff without asking her permission in my diary, with the date, time etc and showed Yaya and told her,” if you take anything that belongs to your siblings without asking their permission, they can take all your stuff without asking your permission”

And the problem is solved. Yaya now asks her sister before taking her stuff. ( We haven’t won the battle completely, Yesterday baby was in the shower and I saw Yaya knocking at the door and asking her “Can I please wear your Aeropostale  t-shirt” and Baby being the kindest child you will ever meet replied “sure”. Only thing is, Yaya was already wearing the t-shirt and asking the permission was done as a second thought 🙂