The other night I was talking with my mother, seeking her advice on a parenting issue. You see recently the B-man, who will be 3 in June, has been acting out. I had originally attributed it to “the terrible two’s” but more recently began to think it might be something else.

In talking with her she suggested that perhaps the B-man was envious of SM. Of course I had no idea what she was talking about. I mean I treat both boys the same. I don’t play favorites at all and I try to be fair and reasonable when it comes to discipline so why would he be jealous.

And then it hit me. What my mom was talking about was the B-Man being envious of the “big boy” things that SM gets to do. Because SM is 5 he gets to ride the bus, he goes to school and he gets to play soccer. All things that the B-Man desperately wants to do.

Since that conversation I have made an extra effort to do special things with the B-man and it seems to be working. He’s gotten to go with me to the grocery, we’ve played games and read books – just the two of us. In doing all these things the hitting has started to subside and the sassy attitude, while still there, its at least easing up.

I hate to think that he was feeling short-sheeted in the grand scheme of things and am glad that my efforts appear to be working. It really is the little things that are important, especially when you are little.