Snippets #2 — Steps & Halves
I am a child of divorce. Both of my parents remarried. I have one “real” brother, one step-sister, one half-brother, and one half-sister. It makes for interesting conversations when I explain to the kids about steps and halves in terms of siblings, parents, & grandparents.
Mommy: Scottie, you sometimes remind me of your Uncle Mike with the way you talk to Allie. Be nice. She’s your sister.
Scottie: Well I’m her brother.
Mommy: Yes, and she should be nicer to you, too.
Scottie: Were you always nice to your brother?
Mommy: Not always. We were both pretty mean to each other sometimes.
Allie: He’s not a brother!!
Mommy: Who, Uncle Mike? Yes he is. He’s my brother.
Allie: No, the brothers are Robbie and Scottie.
Mommy: They’re your brothers. Uncle Mike is my brother.
Robbie: And you have a sister, too.
Allie: HUH?!?!
Scottie: Yeah, Aunt Anne.
Mommy: Yup, I have a sister, too.
Robbie: But she wasn’t always your sister.
Mommy: Right. She became my sister when Poppy married Nini.
Allie: So who was her sister before?
Mommy: She didn’t have a sister before then.
Allie: Was that when you were in Nini’s belly?
Mommy: No, I was born then, but it was just Uncle Mike and me.
Allie: Was Aunt Anne in Nini’s belly?
Mommy: No, Aunt Anne was never in Nini’s belly. She has a different mommy, so she came from a different belly, but before Uncle Mike and I were born.
Allie <after a pause and a dramatic sigh>: I’m glad I only came from one belly.
From Grind to Whine 
I can’t imagine having to explain all of that. It’s tough enough for me to explain why the monkeys have no cousins on my side, but about a thousand on Real Man’s! (“Didn’t your family like kids? Were you so bad that Grandma and Grandpa didn’t want anymore kids?”) Good times. 🙂
http://amysreallife.wordpress.com
That’s so funny, Amy. Like you could ever be that bad to scare your parents off!! Doesn’t matter the details, no matter what you explain to kids gets some great reactions!
LOL sort of on the same topic Michaela keeps asking Joe and I when we are going to get married!! I showed her the wedding album as proof and it still was not good enough for her. She decided she was going to marry Joe instead, and also marry Alice as well! I really wonder what goes on in those little brains sometimes.
I love that she wants to Marry both Joe and Alice. Too cute, Ann!
Haha! Loved it! I’m thankful that my kids came from the same belly too! Although no steps and halves, I’ve had to encounter bizarre cousin relations, adoption and sexual preference! It makes for interesting conversations!! 🙂
You’re so right, Meghan. Interesting, indeed! I have to remind myself frequently to just keep it as simple as possible!
Perhaps it is because it is still very fresh for me, but this actually made me cry a little honestly. I am brand new into the life of the “step” family, and I find it quite strange and weird and hard to explain to my children, when I don’t really understand it myself.
I am certainly glad that my own 2 children are from one belly, too. 🙂 And glad my hubby feels the same way! 😉
http://www.thedoseofreality.com
Yeah, I’ve been dealing with steps and halves for well over 30 years. When you discover that the split, as unfortunate as it was, ends up being best for all involved, it makes it easier. That and lots and lots of time and good humor. You’ll get there. I’m glad my kids are all from 1 belly, too, though. 😉