Jill Smokler, AKA Scary Mommy
Latest posts by Jill Smokler, AKA Scary Mommy (see all)
- Dear Judgy Mothers on My Website… - June 15, 2013
- 10 Skills Every Mother Should Possess - June 10, 2013
- Perfection (Or pretty close) - June 3, 2013
Growing up, my brother and I didn’t have the best of relationships. He was the typical pesky little brother and I was a total bitch. The moments when we actually got along were incredibly few and far between. Most times, they involved me bossing him around and him relishing the attention that I was briefly giving him. I recall dressing him up in my clothes and parading him along the main street we lived on, complete with jelly bracelets and lipstick. He didn’t even flinch. (And, no, he is neither gay nor a cross dresser. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
There was a brief period where we played teacher and student. We ripped apart every Highlights and National Geographic we owned and glued them on the walls of the basement, transforming it into a classroom. We knew what we were doing was wrong, but it was fun. And we were in it together. We figured we’d deal with the consequences later, and it was totally worth it. To our surprise, there were no consequences. Our parents were so thrilled to have us playing together, that I think we could have done just about anything.
Unlike my brother and I, Lily and Ben play happily together for hours. They play zoo and safari and post office. They tell each other stories and have dance parties. Last night, they were quieter than usual. After about an hour, they came down, giddy with excitement. We’ve been having so much fun, Lily squealed. Come see what we did!
And there it was. All of their artwork lining the stairs. Tape, broken off craft pieces and remnants of chalk littered the floor. It’s a classroom, Ben chimed in. Isn’t it so cool?
And it was.
I’m fully expecting the cross dressing to start shortly. And there won’t be anything wrong with it.
{ 60 comments… read them below or add one }
Okay girl, just added you to my blog roll and am about to grab your button.
But not before I tell you that I loved hearing about the adventures you had with your brother and how now your children are doing the same thing.
Love the way under this post you have blurbs from two others. How the heck did you do that?
Justine :o )
Awww, thanks!
It’s part of the theme I’m on in WordPress– Thesis, and the magazine option. :)
Awww this is so cool! I’m an only child but I definitely had a strained relationship with my cousin closest to me in age. Every year at Christmas, I pull out the drawing I made of him in crayon many years ago, green zits and all, and laugh at how far we’ve come. My Mother likes to guilt trip me about the time I slammed his fingers in the door. (Hey… I wanted some fkn privacy.) :) I’m glad Lily and Ben have a good relationship.
On another note, I don’t think I ever realized how much of a meanie you were/are, and I say that in the nicest possible way! :)
Oh, I was vicious to my brother. Vicious. I’m actually amazed that he’s a normal, well-adjusted human being.
That’s such a great story. Love that they’re so creative and happy together.
.-= WackyMummy´s last blog ..It’s Time… The Pivotal Stuff… Don’t Read If You’re Squeamish =-.
Love this story. And, just so you know….we’ve totally had cross dressing at our house. It’s hilarious. Roll with it.
And I was a pretty brutal older sister, too. Just like K is being to her siblings. Ahhh–the circle of life.
.-= Lolli´s last blog ..Flip Cameras Are Better in Bulk, too…. =-.
I always fought with my brothers growing up, too. Love the art on the stairs! Very creative!
.-= Theta Mom´s last blog ..For This Rockefeller Center, I Heart You =-.
So sweet!
I’m jealous. I’ve been writing a blog post in my head about how my children are determined to kill each other.
I’m thinking the key here is the tape, though. I’m pretty sure even my kids would play happily for quite a while if given free reign with tape…
.-= Rachel´s last blog ..Say What? =-.
Oh, they were determined to kill each other that morning. It’s not all sunshine and happiness.
And, yes, tape seems to hold their attention, as does glue or play-doh. :)
i am the youngest of five, eight years younger than my youngest older sibling, so i never had what you had with your brother (even if your moments were only few and far between), or what your son and daughter have. i do have four children now, though. our oldest daughter is eight. she has three two year old siblings–two boys and a girl. i always wonder what their relationship will be like. i hope it’s similar to your children. there’s something about strong sibling relationships that perpetuates good family units. you seem to be an example! enjoyed your post! jco
.-= john cave osborne´s last blog ..What Happens in the Bathroom Stays in the Bathroom =-.
My brother is 3 years younger than me. Once after watching that 80s movie about the girl who dresses like a guy (Just One of the Guys–saw it when cable was still SO new & my Grandma had no idea what we were watching) I decided we should each dress as the opposite sex because they did so in the movie. My Dad wasn’t as amused at the time. Of course now it’s the stuff of 6 yr old & 3 yr old legends. Anyway, my point. Brothers are great & I’m waiting for the time this shows up at my house.
.-= beth aka confusedhomemaker´s last blog ..Red, Red, Leaves =-.
LOL! I loved Just One of the Guys!!
So sweet – I love that classroom on the stairs! I wanted to kill my brother when we were kids – and the feeling was definitely mutual. I hope my children love and play with each other…I guess only time will tell!
.-= christy´s last blog ..Evening fun at the park =-.
So sweet!
Me and my siblings always fought growing up, but now we’re each others best friends!
.-= Stephaine @ Geezees´s last blog ..Geezees Blog gets a new look along with my kitchen ! And all new "What’s on the menu Monday?" MckLinky =-.
LOL as the oldest sister of two younger brothers, I can relate big time! They were brats, and I was the angelic sister…cough… well they deserved it! Never tried cross-dressing them, my Dad woulda killed me. Course my daughter did all of it, she had three brothers, war is hell on the homefront. Thanks for the blog, made me laugh.
Karla…
Very sweet! And when my boys are playing together, I will let them get away with almost anything if it means they are quiet, playing nicely, and not beating eachother up! Seriously, even if it means sitting down in front of the junk food cabinets and eating whatever they find, or writing on the floor with washable markers, or putting the laundry away totally wrong, or whatever. As long as they’re not fighting! Plus it is cute to see them being creative sometimes! I love the ‘classroom’ your children invented! Haha! Cute.
.-= Loukia´s last blog ..When doing it solo makes more sense =-.
I agree – isn’t it great when the kids play nicely together? Kinda neat, too, when they do the same things we used to do as kids. Goes to prove that we don’t need video games after all!
.-= Lynn from For Love or Funny´s last blog ..Yikes! We’re out of sleeping elixir! =-.
So true. They play best when there are no electronics around!
I love all the ‘classroom work’ hanging around the room. It’s great your kids get along so well. Funny how life repeats itself too.
.-= Tara R.´s last blog ..Send a man to do a boy’s job =-.
Awwww! I LOVED that! Isn’t it cool how history is repeating itself – only different? :)
I wish I could have given Princess Nagger siblings – she doesn’t get to have the joy of annoying a brother or sister like I got to do when I was a kid. But she does a pretty good job annoying the dogs. So there’s that. ;)
.-= Stacy (the Random Cool Chick)´s last blog ..Thanksgiving Feast Part 1.2 – Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes =-.
Oh cute! They made some memories…
oooo momma you were a meanie! does your brother love you, now? LOL
.-= dawn´s last blog ..tangy meatloaf bread =-.
I believe he does. Or, at least did, before I wrote about dressing him as a girl.
C’mon – every little brother has a cross-dressing incident in his past. I made mine reenact the “Sisters” song from White Christmas. He still remembers all the words – heehee.
I bet that it is so comforting to have your kids get along! You’ve done great mom!
.-= Keyona´s last blog ..I Had This Conversation All Because Of Cartoon Network =-.
I was older than my brother, and I would dress him up as a girl all the time! He is still angry about it:)
Hugs and Mocha,
Stesha
.-= Stesha´s last blog ..Phat Or Fat Is A State Of Mind =-.
I am seven years older than my brother so to me he was like a real live baby doll. I loved it. From the minute he came home he was “my baby” and I helped take care of him. And I guess that until I moved got married and moved out, but by then I guess he didn’t really need a big sister to take care of him. My two are much closer in age and so far they play pretty well together. I hope it sticks.
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Giant Spider Pumpkin =-.
My girls play together for hours. I love to listen to them. They actually played with paper dolls ….real old fashioned cut them out and tabbed paper dolls…the other day for 2 1/2 hours! It was fabulous. No technology necessary. Just good old imagination (and a pair of scissors)
.-= Swirl Girl´s last blog ..The One In Which She is The Scariest Mommy =-.
sibling rivalry i believe are for kids…and yet i see some adults still not growing up. as for us, we had them during childhood as was usual…now we’re all ok =)
hope u visit my other blogs too
life round me N you
earthy me
at-a-blink
heartQUAKES
It just warms my heart when my kids actually play together. Well, I think it will. They are still in the fighting like cats and dogs stage.
.-= Jen, buried with children´s last blog ..Call Now for a Live Chat =-.
I love it! It’s always so cute to hear when siblings actually play well together. That certainly wasn’t my case growing up (and still isn’t sometimes.) =)
The artwork is adorable!
.-= Aimee´s last blog ..Triple Give-Away: 3 $25 Gift Certificates for Threadless.Com!!! =-.
I wish that my brother and I would have been closer in age so that we could have played together. Although, my nephew and I played together… and he made an adorable girl! ;-)
That is so sweet. I love how it comes full circle for you. My son is older than my daughter and I hope they play together like that when they get a little older. Right now they play together but she’s not old enough to really play with him. They just play in the same room, lol.
.-= Angelina´s last blog ..Sunday Sabbath Day – Shane & Shane =-.
I, too, was a total bitch to my younger sister and brother. Except for my baby brother–I adored him!
It gave me goosebumps that your little ones played classroom just like you and your brother–complete with taping things up. Super sweet.
.-= Chelle´s last blog ..She Got You, Babe =-.
Now that I think about it….my brother and I kinda fight like my kids….
.-= Lee the Hot Flash Queen´s last blog ..Today is Her Birthday! =-.
We are going to have to get Lukas an older sister.
.-= Seattledad´s last blog ..Full Stream Ahead =-.
I used to think mine would NEVER play together. Man, they couldn’t be in the same room without some kinda riot breaking out. Now they play well, for the most part, and I love to see them with their inside jokes. :-)
My brother and I never got along unless we were ganging up together. You just never know what you’re gonna get do you?
.-= When did I become my Mom´s last blog ..Monday’s Muse – Love Actually is All Around =-.
Oh my gosh, CUTE! So cute. It is a wonderful sound when children are playing nicely isn’t it?
I never got along with my brother………he was always teasing me, but I had a pretty good relationship with my brother. My kids play really well together, thank goodness. It always makes my heart happy when I see them play for stretches without an fighting. :) Loved this post!
.-= angie´s last blog ..Flipping for FLIP =-.
I meant sister. Had a good relationship with my sister. :)
.-= angie´s last blog ..Flipping for FLIP =-.
That is so cool! I have 4 younger brothers, and we had good and bad moments, obviously. I liked when they’d help me put on “plays” in the basement for our parents.
.-= Kathleen´s last blog ..Let the Wild Rumpus Start! =-.
That is so great! I remember playing with my brother and if he ever got in trouble I would stay at home and play with him but when I got in trouble….nope, he was GONE!
Now I can’t wait for my boys to be able to play together!
.-= Erin´s last blog ..Mommy Guilt…or? =-.
My brother was my hero when I was little and it broke my heart when he out grew me and started being mean to me. We want so bad for our children to like each other but sometimes they don’t and there is nothing you can do about.
.-= passions and soapboxes´s last blog ..Holy Cow! She’s A Cow!…. =-.
That is *so* cool. It’s good to hear there’s a time where they play together, because at 4 and 20 months it’s lots of headbutting and hair pulling. With my brother and I being 4 years apart I remember bossing him around and dressing him up most of all, then there were the broken chairs and broken arms, but I shudder to think my kids will ever get to that point.
.-= Lori Z.´s last blog ..Halloween Crafts Day 5: Spooks =-.
My sister and I fought. Violently and often. Things were broken. Windows, doors, walls. Clothing ripped and shoes destroyed. We. Were. Awful. But I love her with all my heart. And maybe we wouldn’t be as close as we are now without that shared experience.
.-= Cara´s last blog ..Party Hardy Said The Lady =-.
I consider often stopping at the one daughter I have, because I fear for the sibling rivalry that my younger sister and I shared. But then I think about how lonely and boring it may be otherwise… it has my babyfactory at a standstill while hubby and I figure it out. (Not that we want one so soon after the first one anyways.) Haha.
.-= Gigi´s last blog ..4 Months =-.
PS—> Snagged your button ;)
.-= Gigi´s last blog ..4 Months =-.
That IS cool. I love when my kids enjoy each other’s company…oh wait a sec… that hasn’t happened yet.
.-= cristin´s last blog ..RTT: In Which The Children Behave Horribly and The Meeces are Smashed To Pieces =-.
Oh the joys of kids getting along together. I find that mine come in waves – for awhile they are friends then a couple of months later they hate each other. I don’t understand it but I treasure it when they are in the “best friends” stage. When they are not – I open up a bottle of wine.
.-= JenniferG´s last blog ..A Little Tuesday Inspiration =-.
awww. They look like they have so much fun together. My boys play like that too. They love to cook for us and play dress up, and at times my son will put on dresses and dance around too!
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..What is that smell and where is it coming from? =-.
What a cute memory for them. I remember making so many things with my sister when we were younger.
Oh, and we all must see the cross dressing pictures.!
.-= Malia´s last blog ..I’m Late… =-.
It was nice to read this and it brought back many memories. My Brother (and my sister for that matter) and I played hard growing up. We fought hard too. I’m talking plates being broken on backs, fat lips, b.b. guns. HARDCORE. I only wanted one baby because i didn’t think I could handle the fighting. HOWEVER, wanting another BABY was more alluring and now there are two boys, two years apart. Life has a funny way of paying you back…mine is coming ;)
.-= Jen´s last blog ..A Racoon and a Fat Lip =-.
I just love how they “knew” what you did when you were a kid with your brother — and then did the very same thing. Aren’t kids amazing?
.-= Jane´s last blog ..Don’t Let Your Mother Hear You Playing This! =-.
I read this on my phone tonight and I thought it was SO sweet I almost came downstairs to leave a comment! : ) And now I am downstairs since I can not sleep so here is my comment!
Your children are delightful!
.-= Life with Kaishon´s last blog ..Jessi gets ogled! =-.
My brother was 13 years older than me and we didn’t get to spend a lot of time together growing up–since he was getting married and having his own kids when I was still in elementary school. He died of cancer three years ago, and every day I miss the brother-sister relationship we were finally starting to kindle as adults. The sibling bond is more special than any other, and I won’t be one bit angry if my son and daughter one day turn our whole house into a school. Glad to hear your kids get along so well!
.-= Deb´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday: Love at first stare down =-.
When we were little, I used to play with my brother (2 years my junior), but only if he would be “Martha.” Martha and I shopped, made dinner, took care of our kids… I think it was a couple of years before Matt realized that Martha was a girl’s name. I even found an old drawing from nursery school. It was a rather androgenous little person with “Matew” written at the top and “Marta” written at the bottom. So I have documentation of my cruelty.
.-= Kate Coveny Hood´s last blog ..Why I Hate Halloween* =-.
Seven years apart, my brother and I didn’t get along at all. I, too, dressed him in girl’s clothing. I wonder how many Gen X guys named Matt were tortured in this manner? Sounds like almost all of them. haha
Unlike you, I am really close to my siblings. Being the youngest in the family, I was trained to be bossed around (that’s when I was little). As I grow up, I have learned also to resist it. There would be some arguments but my parents would always come in between us. They always managed to iron things out. Maybe sometimes parents do have to make us, as siblings, realize that if there are people we should love and respect – that’s our family.
.-= Oral Irrigators´s last blog ..Are Broken Teeth a Natural Part of Aging? =-.
I am (not so) secretly relieved to read that I wasn’t the only bitchy sister in the world to force-cross dress a younger brother. With what I put my brother through, it is amazing that he didn’t turn out to be Lady Gaga!
We’re close now but he is determined never to have kids of his own. Did I do that to him I wonder?? ;-)