Parenting the Older Brother

We all know the parable of the Prodigal Son. Two brothers, vastly different in temperament and behavior, who share the same father. One brother is notoriously bad and dominates the plot line, while the other is but a…

Sibling Rivalry: The Poisonous Tie That Binds

I recently started watching the television series Downton Abbey, and I am completely hooked. As one of three girls in my family, I particularly enjoy the portrayals of the three aristocratic Crawley daughters. From the first episode, an…

The Vocation of Stepparenting

From the beginning of our courtship my husband was a “package” deal. He had a precious three- year-old son who was the center of his universe. I marveled at my joyful yes to taking on this pair, as…