Big Brother Training Complete

From everything I can tell Kaelin has taken to the role of big brother to heart.

First, he makes sure Dayne knows what he should be doing and how he should be doing it. Dayne can be smiling and laughing but playing "incorrectly" and Kaelin will step in and correct him. Usually ending in a couple of tears of gratitude on Dayne's part.

Second, he helps educate Dayne on sports. He's shown Dayne proper hip checking techniques, how not to avoid tripping attempts and the basics of kickboxing.

Third, he shows Dayne how to interact with others. He'll take a toy away from Dayne and show Dayne how one's conscious (Carey or I playing the part of the conscious) tells him to give the toy back. And how after 15 seconds into another's turn, one can start stating to their conscious "Dayne's not sharing". Over and over and over until their conscious ensures equal time of sharing.

Fourth, he protects Dayne (at least from others).


Jokes aside, this all came from the other day while I was mowing the lawn. In the past I have told Kaelin to beware of the lawn mower while I'm mowing. This translated into "Stay on the deck at all costs" by Kaelin. So when Dayne decided he was going to go off the other side of the deck, nowhere near the lawn mower, Kaelin took action to prevent imminent danger. I looked up from mowing to see Dayne screaming with all his might as Kaelin has him in a bear hug and is dragging him up the deck's step and across the deck to a "safe" spot. This is with Dayne's belly exposed as his shirt lifts up from being drug over wooden deck boards that are prone to nails coming up and splinters. I flip the lawn mower off and go running over trying to get Kaelin to stop as at the same time Carey comes out of the house trying to stop it. In no time both Kaelin and Dayne are in tears. Dayne ended up with a red stomach and Kaelin ended up with a modification to the lawn mower rules. Kaelin is a good big brother, but I sometimes wonder how boys survive having bad big brothers... It makes me think that little brothers end up being tougher, but we'll see what time brings.