Copycat

We have noticed so much these last few weeks that we have a little copycat amongst us…its like living with a parrot some days the way everything E says is repeated back to us by Megs – she is ALWAYS copying him. I see her watching him, mirroring him and in many situations waiting to see what he will do or how he will respond to take his lead. She does (or thinks she can do) everything that Ethan can. Where he goes she follows, what he says she says, when he whines she whines…Most of the time its funny at others its irritating to hear an echo whine, echo squeal or see a repeated “naughty” act!
Its a phase that has really surprised me as a parent because I have always seen (as many others have) Megs as being VERY independent and head strong, and so whilst its absolutely the most wonderful thing to see how much she loves him, how she defends him and wants to in some ways be like him, its also surprising how much she takes his lead and copies as oppose to being the leader / bossy one like she sometimes demonstrates and what we have previously witnessed. Either way Its another reflection of the bond they share and it makes us as parents beam and laugh our heads off.
Family also find it hilarious to see Megsie being a little copy cat and most of us have our fake laughs down now when she repeats a joke, pretends to fall because he did or when she performs because he did. Its all very cute a great stage of life to be in. I am sure there is some kind of psychological explanation about how she is learning to “be” in a family/social situtaions or maybe its more peer acceptance? Or maybe she just thinks he’s mint and as she tells me often; her “best bruva” and therefore, for now is content being just like him! Whatever her reasons we are finding it all very funny and entertaining (mostly) because I often imagine when the are teens her smelly brother will be the last person she wants to copy and i’m sure these tales of their childhood will be “so embarrassing”, Particularly when we tell her that she often tried to copy Ethan in the toilet department whilst out and about, because like most 4 year old boys Ethan also has outdoor toileting down to a T, he legs it into a bush, behind a tree or sometimes for the whole world to see (awkward) and gets on with it and is back on his way. Megan repeatedly copies, repeatedly fails and repeatedly has to be told “YOU ARE NOT A BOY – You can not just stand there and do your business”…. Its a huge learning curve for her and a patience test for us at the moment and usually is a copy cat epic fail ending in tears…

Do your kids copy their siblings?