Great minds....

I spent yesterday afternoon visiting a friend who has two kids, just like me. But she did it the other way around - a boy first and then a girl. It works out great, because we can pass down clothes!
Wendy and I think alike. Our parenting styles are very similar, and this makes it really easy to get along. It's always nice to see another mom refuse to give her child pop, to insist on polite manners, and to solve sibling fights with words that don't start with "f" and end with "uck". This does not, of course, make perfect children. While I was there, her little boy, who is usually very well behaved, decided to get his mother's attention by spitting on his sister. Right on the top of her little blonde head. When he was sent to his room, he had a lot to say. It sounded very familiar to me! I'm pretty sure he and Girl Terror must have the same speech writer! When he came back, they talked about what he did wrong, and he said sorry to his sister. And all was well.
When this little boy grows up, he will have the skills to solve disagreements. He will know how to walk away, think about the problem, and return with a sincere apology. (Hopefully, he will outgrow the "spit on your opponent" stage, and learn positive ways to get attention.) I hope when he gives his thank you speech at the Oscars/election results/award ceremony, he remembers to thank his mother.