Siblings

Sometimes I think about what life would be like if we had only Karim or just Roqaya. The responsibility of raising kids grows exponentially because it's not just the difficulty of having two kids, but also the combination of them together. This is especially true in Roqaya's case because she learns so much from Karim that she would have never gotten from Ahmed and I. I remember when Karim was younger and I would give him toys to play with but he wouldn't really know how to play with them so he lost interest. But, now Roqaya has her brother to show her how things work and how to have fun. He also shows her lots of naughty stuff which adds to the difficulty for me but in some way is beneficial to them. He teaches her what kinds of food are good, how to go the bathroom like a big kid (although she's a little confused about the standing up part), how to "swim" in the bathtub, how to climb in and out of the crib, how to ride a trike, how to eat with utensils, how to hold hands when crossing the street, what cartoons are worth watching, how to color on the walls (my least favorite), and how to make funny faces in the window. Perhaps less noticeable though are the things Roqaya teaches Karim. She has taught him how to be patient with those younger and less understanding than he is, how to be gentle, how to share, how to play cooperatively, and how to take turns.
I'm so glad they have each other and hope they continue to learn from and enjoy each other.