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-It's mine, and you can't have it!
-No, it's mine!- Both kids started wrestling over the cat plushie.
-You'll break it!
-Oscar and Bea Fox-Díaz! Stop right this instant.
-But papa, she's trying to take Mr Wobbles!
-Oscar, we use words in this house, and you both know that. Fighting will only lead you to a broken Mr Wobbles and a time-out.- Alex entered the playroom, alerted by all the screaming, and found his children pouting, arms crossed, and his husband with his son's stuffed animal under his arm. He could guess what had happened.
-Hey, you lot, stop sulking and talk about it.-Seeing as none of them took the first step, he changed strategies.-Ok, in the get-along t-shirt you go until you are ready to apologize to each other. Henry went into their bedroom and got back with an oversize t-shirt. He put it over the two kids and left them in the playroom.
-Should we really leave them alone?
-Yeah, they have to do it without adult eyes pressuring them to or they won’t really mean it. Let's go make dinner, they will figure it out.-Alex could practically see the gears turning in Henry's head while he cut the potatoes. It's not that he enjoyed seeing the siblings fight, but he was used to the disagreements between kids. He saw it every day at school. Children get angry quickly but forgot about it just as fast.
-I'm going to check on them.
-Henry, let them come to us, not the other way around. They need to learn to resolve conflict on their own.
-But, they are 3 and 6, they don't even know what that means yet.
-And won't learn unless we leave them to it. My parents used to do that all the time to June and me and we eventually learned to respect each other's boundaries.
-Yeah, well, my parents didn't interfere at all and they had a 10-year-old punching a 6-year-old because he dared to touch his Play Station.- Alex dropped the spoon inside the pot, splashing himself with drops of salsa.
-Shit, Henry, that was fucked up. I'm sorry that happened to you. We can go check up on them if that makes you feel better. You have to know that we aren't your parents, though. We are trying to make them realize that they need to talk about their feelings. They will absolutely get punished if one of them ever hurts the other, but we’ve taught them better, it had never happened before.
-No, yes, you are right, I just want them to have a good relationship. More like June and you or Bea and me than Philip and me.- As if on cue, Oscar and Bea run into the kitchen, still wearing the large shirt that covered them to their shins.
-Daddy, papa, we've reached an agreement. Mr Woobles is mine but if Bea asks, she can play with him.- Hearing his 6-year-old say the words "we've reached an agreement" made Henry chuckle, which he promptly hid with a cough.
-Yeah, papa, don't be mad anymore!
-I'm not mad, sweetie.-Henry held them both and Alex took the shirt off.
-Big hug!- They all stood together in the kitchen for a second before sending the kids off to lay the table.
-You've been letting Oscar watch The West Wing with you, haven't you?- Alex turned red.
-Well, I can't always be the responsible parent!- Henry rolled his eyes but kissed his husband. He was so in love with that man.