Editor’s Note: We’re digging into our ample archives to find some great articles you might have missed over the years. This one comes from 2016.
Charlie had to go to the doctor recently. He was not at all pleased about the trip. Our 3 1/2-year-old was in pain and arrived there, with his mom and brother, a hot mess.
Bawling on the floor, he cried like he was getting paid in candy for the tears that hit the floor. It was then that his older brother did something incredibly sweet, genuinely helpful and entirely on his own accord.
He walked over and started asking Charlie questions about Phineas and Ferb.
Phineas and Ferb is something the boys and I watch quite often together as it is as entertaining for adults as it is for children.
“Charlie, who do you think is funnier: Buford or Doctor Doofenshmirtz?”
He thought for a moment and said, “Doof.”
“Charlie, who is funnier: Phineas or Doctor Doofenshmirtz?”
He thought for a second. “Doof.”
The two went on talking about Phineas and Ferb until the doctor called them in.
Brothers: Potential best friend, worst rival
Charlie had gone from zero to crazy meltdown at the drop of a hat but was called back from the edge in the same amount of time just by his big brother making conversation with him. It was something a parent couldn’t have done, but his big brother did it with ease and grace.
In my mind’s eye, I thought about the boys being in their 30s. I hope they are the best of friends when they’re adults. Siblings are one thing; brothers — well, that just has a whole different, deeper and more permanent bond, isn’t it?
I imagine brothers opening up businesses together when they’re older, going on crazy adventures in the backyard or camping with other friends. Brothers, that’s a bond that nothing can break. Siblings are cool and do have a bond, but it certainly varies from family to family. I suspect sisters have the same club as brothers, though. It’s the potential best friend and rival that they’ll have all of their life.
It’s possible what happened in the doctor’s office might have been replicated had they just been siblings and not brothers. Had that been the case it would’ve been cute, too. However, in my “guy” (not to mention, parent) mind, there was something even better about it because it was the two brothers figuring something out and fixing it.
My dad has a younger brother. One time my uncle told me that when he was a child, the only thing he wanted was to be more like his big brother. In response, my dad just shirked and mumbled something smarmy. But that brother bond was still there.
A version of this first appeared on Daddy Mojo. Photo: © luengo_ua / Adobe Stock.
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