Me: No, I think you've had enough computer time for today. Go get a book and read.
Bear (happy to be the informant): Well, Bug's on the computer. (to her sister) Buuuug, you have to get offfffff.
Bug: Mom, can I just listen to music on the computer while I read?
Me (opening mouth to reply):
Bear (snotty): Um, there's this thing? It's called an iPod?
Bug (right back atcha snotty): Yeah, and there's this other thing? Called a sister? And it's ANNOYING ME.
Bear (hollers from living room): Moooooom, Bug just told me I'm annoying!
***********************
Yesterday, for similar mutual heckling that culminated in shrieking and thrown puzzle pieces, they both wound up spending the hour before dinner in solitary (in bedroom, no iPod or phone). Anyone care to lay bets that they won't find themselves in solitary again today?
It's that time of the summer - two weeks to go until school starts - when sibling rivalry and boredom has come to a head. They're tired of swimming, playing outside, and all the standard summer activities, and in their boredom they've turned to the only remotely entertaining activity around: annoying the shit out of your sister. It doesn't help that they both happen to excel at this activity (what can I say - they're gifted), and one carefully chosen remark is all it takes to send the other one in a stompy, door-slamming maelstrom of sisterly fury.
Right now they're both sullenly folding laundry with cheerful Mary Poppins-y assurances from me that there's plenty more where that came from should they care to bicker while folding. Is it wrong that I secretly hope they'll get into it, so I can make them Swiffer the floors, too?
