When we get home from work, the first thing we talk about at the door is caring for our parents.
As soon as we get home from work, we bring up caring for our parents with our siblings.
Scenes
- Care comes up at the front door — As soon as we get home from work, we bring up caring for our parents with our siblings. Before we’ve even taken off our shoes, we start arguing over who’s done more.
- One person’s share stands out first — One sibling took a parent to the hospital; the other stopped by every weekend. You’ve done different things, so it’s hard to measure them by the same yardstick.
- You count care in different ways — When easing a conflict, don’t start by deciding who has done more. Listen separately to what each person has taken on and how much time it takes, then talk about what to share next.
- Write down one thing each of you does — Tonight, write one line about what you do and one about what your sibling does. Leave any lines you can’t agree on blank for now, and save that conversation for later.
- Talk again about what doesn’t feel fair — The share you agree on once may not fit next week. If care needs change, you can work out a new arrangement with your sibling.
Stories by Cheongun
- Cheongun
- On payday, Dad asked me to pass that along
- At the light, I think of what I want to say to my family.
- At lunch, I want to choose my child’s career path for them.
- When I step out after washing and stand before the mirror, the comparisons in my family come back to me.
- After the meeting, the plans and the spur-of-the-moment ideas clash again.
- As we left the exam room, Mom asked first.
- We put off the decision again while doing the dishes
- I set aside money for my younger sibling from my first paycheck