Pretend You Don't Have a Sister

 

 {photo taken by Frankie at Stylized Portraiture, Aug. 10}

Do you see how happy and sweet these girls look?  They look kind and loving.  They look like they are best friends and take care of each other.  Looks can sometimes be deceiving.  Because the reality in our house these days is that they just want to beat the crap out of each other, and so they do.  On Monday, six days ago, Casey kicked Chandler in the tush and Chandler then slapped Casey in the face 5 times.  This morning?  Casey slapped Chandler in the face with a pair of shoes.  Here's what they had to say when I questioned them about it....

Casey went into Chandler's room with her tap shoes.  Chandler told her to leave, that she wanted some privacy, and Casey slapped her across the face with the shoes.  When I asked Casey why she did that she said it was because Chandler was about to hit her, that she was standing in the way that she stands when she is about to hit her and had the look on her face like she was about to hit her, so she went ahead and hit her first.  She was protecting herself.  So now the question is, do we separate them for the day, pretending that they don't have a sister, or should we tie them together?  On Monday, they didn't have a sister and were crying and hugging each other at the end of the day, but clearly that didn't even last a week.  I don't have a sister, so I just don't know....is this normal?  Should I expect worse fighting because they are the same age?  Big sigh.  I think its going to be a long road until college.