The kids...

...are just so interesting. I mean, I do remember having all of those off and on moments with my brothers as we were growing up, sometimes fighting, sometimes walking about the house arm-in-arm, but the perspective is entirely different as a parent...especially as a part-time stay-home parent. They get along just fine for a while, then someone wants to control the other, and the other doesn't give in; that is all it takes. I try to stay out of it...and typcially I do... ... ... ...until the thing escalates and my sanity dangerously approaches being compromised. At this point, each is sent to his/her own room to reflect on his/her actions, and when they are ready to return to some normalcy (ahem... ...and "tee hee"), they may exit their rooms and find some common ground. This is what I have come up with in lieu of abusive screaming and corporal punishment, so I am wondering when we get to the point where they actually become proactive so they don't have to go to their rooms... ... ...? Sure, they are pretty young (5 and nearly 7), I was kinda hoping that if they had to think about what they did and respond to it afterwards, perhaps they would get to the thinking about it part before taking the wrong turn. Am I expecting too much...?