I already knew this about my kids, but I got a nice reminder this week about how my farm kids get along. With my one son being very ill one day this week, my other son checked with me about the feed ration for his brother’s calves because he was going to do the feeding since he was ill. No one asked. It was early enough in the evening it hadn’t even crossed my mind yet. It just happened. It’s just what they do.

I get to see these moments with my kids as they years pass. Sometimes, it is an art of negotiation. If one child will be gone for a trip or event, someone else has to do their barn chores. There has been some serious deal making about how many feedings they owe each other for helping out. What I often notice though, is that it is more about the idea of the deal making than the actual agreement reached. They really would do it for each other-just because. The animals need to be fed or corn boxes loaded. But, if there were a bottle of pop or a sweet treat from the store involved, it makes the deal making more fun. They have all picked up the slack for each other. They have all looked out for each other. The older kids work together to grind feed, mostly for safety that they need to have someone else out there in case they get hurt. They also are good to tell me about minor mishaps where their sibling might be hurting, like a fall on the ice.

Like any siblings, they have their moments of disagreement. But, overall they know how to work together and help each other. It’s just what they do.