The other night, as we were driving home from Sam’s parents house, Tru began to cry. Jem had apparently thrown Tru’s toy crocodile into the back of the car. The boys had each gotten a new toy from Sam’s parents who had just returned from a vacation. Tru had received the crocodile and Jem had gotten a race car. They were each playing with their own toys for most of the ride home and then Truett asked to trade. Instead of handing Truett the race car, Jem simply kept both and then threw Tru’s toy in the back. When I figured out what had happened, I told Jem that he needed to put his race car on the floor. That he wasn’t allowed to play with it anymore. I also started to talk to him about how it was unkind to throw Truett’s toy into the back of the car and that he would need to find it when we got home.
We had a few seconds of silence and then Truett piped up from the back of the car, “Mom! Don’t be mad at him. He’s my brother.” And I was one part frustrated that the child I had just defended was now telling me to leave his brother alone and one part glad to see a display of brotherly loyalty and affection. I have no doubt that Tru and Jem will fight, a lot. But I’m also counting on them being best friends and having each other’s backs. So even though, in that moment, it felt like I just couldn’t win to save my life, I knew that what I was hearing was good stuff. 
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