Battle of Wills

My parents had a child once every eight years. In essence, each of us grew up missing the typical rivalry that occurs between siblings that are closer in age. By the time my younger sister (YS) came around my parents were pretty relaxed about the stringent rules my elder sister and I had to follow.

My YS was and still is the typical youngest child, extremely spoiled, very self-absorbed. Call it pecking order or nature versus nurture, either way you slice it she is a piece of work. I don’t want to brand all youngest children, this post relates to my YS.

I had the privilege of commuting to college. Truth be told my Father bribed me with a car if I stayed home and commuted. I realize now that it was a mistake on my part another post for another time. While I was a freshman at the University of Maryland YS was in 4th grade. You would think we did not have too much in common. You would further surmise that any of my belongings would not interest her in the least. You’d be extremely wrong.

I began noticing things either missing or moved around in my room. I do have a nosey Father but the items missing or ransacked were not things he would intrude upon. My Mom just would not enter my room because there was nothing in there she needed. That would leave YS. Before I made a fuss about my assets I conducted an experiment. Each morning before I left for classes I would leave a piece of paper wedged in my door. Sure enough each evening when I returned the paper would be missing. Someone had been in my room.

I casually mentioned the intrusion one night at dinner. YS began staring at her plate, dead give away. I turned to my parents and asked them to make it stop. They complaisantly told her to stay out of my room. When I was her age, the punishment for trespassing was detention for a week. I know first hand, I served that punishment several times. I was pretty defiant at her age; maybe a simple statement would do the trick in her case. Wrong again.

Things were not changing, in fact getting worse. We talked about it again at dinner, I was pretty angry about it by then. My Father asked me what I wanted? I reminded him that he was the parent and I the sibling. I told them that I would take matters into my own hands if it did not stop. The punishment that he doled out was detention for a week in her room, which was completely stocked with stereo and television. Amenities I did not have at her age.

After she was paroled it all started again. This time I took care of it. I purchased the items needed to install a small padlock on my bedroom door. Once I was able to secure my room I decided to teach her a lesson. I was not satisfied that she learned anything from her punishment. The Monday following the padlock installation I placed her stereo into my room before heading off to class. At dinner that night we had a long family discussion about how elder siblings should set good examples for the younger ones. I told everyone that I was trying to teach her the consequences of stealing. I went on to say that if her behavior was not corrected by the time she entered any type or roommate situation, she would most likely get beat up.

I love it when I win a debate. I returned her stereo in a week and she did not bother my things again.