How to Be a Big Sister

A while back a friend asked for a post about being a big sister. In my current season of life, I like to consider myself a 'full-time big sister'. I still have a part time job and spend some time writing, but I'm home with siblings the majority of my time. It's kind of like training to one day be a stay-at-home mom. I'm not an expert, but being the oldest of nine kids I do have a lot of experience. Here are some tips for taking care of little siblings.

This picture is over a year old now.

• Go phone-free. This isn't a rule I always follow, but I find that it's a good idea. I'll still keep my phone nearby with the ringtone on in case my mom needs to contact me. It's just best not to be staring at a screen when taking care of children. Make it clear that you value them more. If they are playing well without your constant guidance, and you feel like you should be doing something else while watching them, opt towards something like reading a book or journaling.
• Play music. Most of the time music brightens toddler's moods. I love to shuffle play Steve Green (he sings Bible verses for kids), The Wiggles (their accents are amazing), or Raffi (a childhood classic). Sometimes you can even get a dance party started in the living room. Those are always adorable.

• Find fun activities. When kids are bored they get in fights or whine. If they're having fun they'll be easier to take care of. Try to find fun activities to do with them or toys to play with. Keep their lives exciting and maybe even come up with a game they've never played.
• Embrace their cuddly moods. If they're in the mood to snuggle, enjoy it. There's nothing that helps get rid of stress quite as well as a hug from a toddler, even if he's rubbing snot on your shoulder at the same time.
• Pray for them. Life may be easy for them right now, but it is gonna get hard. Pray that they'll always keep their trust in Jesus. If they're hurt or scared take the time to pray for them out loud. One of my brother's had an earache the other day so I prayed for him. I couldn't even tell if he was paying attention, but later my mom told me he had told her about my prayer and that it meant a lot to him!

• Take them to the park. Kids love to get out of the house and so do I. A trip to the park is always a fun way to pass the time watching them. Also, it means fresh air and exercise, both great things!
• Include them in parts of your everyday routine, like working out. I didn't make it to the gym one morning so I decided to do a workout using an app on my phone. I invited the four littlest ones to join me and they had so much fun! It was literally the cutest thing. There were a few exercises where the littlest one flopped on top of me as if he thought I needed more weight to lift, but it was still so cute.

• Turn chore time into quality time. Teach the little ones how to do everyday chores. Embrace that special stage where washing dishes is oh so fun and exciting! Take time while doing everyday tasks together to ask them questions. Children often have way more to say than we think!
• Read to them. Plant a love for reading in their little hearts. It's never too early to start developing a love of literature! It's something that can benefit them for the rest of their lives. Find story books at the library or even try reading a chapter book to them a little bit at a time.
• You are being productive. Often you may have what feels like a never-ending list of things to do, and then you get stuck taking care of siblings. Don't believe the lie that you're not being productive. You totally are. You're investing your time in caring for children who have eternal souls. Just about anything else on your to-do list can wait.