Fight the Jealous

It was icky and rainy outside Monday morning and I was on my way to work. At Starbucks, I stood and line and composed myself after running through the rain into the store like Kramer on Seinfeld. There were a few people in front of me so I had a moment to observe my environment and I noticed a woman next to the creamer station. She was reading a book, and for a split second, I was jealous. Jealous of her ability to sit there and read with her cup of coffee for some undetermined period of time. I love to read, but I don't seem to read books very often anymore. I read babycenter.com emails on my phone instead. I'd read at night before bed, but I have my 7 month old in a bassinet next to me in our bedroom so I can't turn on a freaking light. And yes, I know she should be in a crib but I haven't gotten that far yet. Anyways, I had to get to work so I hustled out of the store, but then I thought, that lady was old. I mean old like my mom, old. When I'm that old, I'll be able to read then too. So, I accepted that consolation prize and moved on.

Then I got home, and I was so excited to see Bubu and Peewee. We all sat together on the floor to play and almost immediately after I picked up Peewee to give her a hug hello, Bubu started insisting that I put her in her down and pick him up. And this wasn't the first occurrence of jealousy displayed. We've been running into it more and more lately. I looked away for a moment and when I looked back, Bubu was sitting behind Peewee slapping her on the back. No clue why, he just felt like beating her I guess. So, I explained that we don't beat the baby. I mean, really, I said, "No, no. We do NOT beat the baby. Okay?"

It's very interesting to see such a little kid experience this totally icky emotion that I wish I never felt as an adult. But we do, right? And so do our little kids. It's an awful emotion that we learn how to fight as we get older. My question is how do we teach them how to fight the jealous?