Ingrid and Adrian have their occasional loud disagreements – mostly when both want to have the same thing, or when Adrian messes up some activity of Ingrid’s. This often happens because he cannot understand what is important to Ingrid. This piece of paper that she was drawing on? Surely it’s OK if Adrian also makes some squiggles on it, too? He has no idea that Ingrid was making a story book and definitely does not want his squiggles on it.

But the root cause is that he wants to do the same as her, because he looks up to her so much. Anything that Ingrid does, Adrain wants to do as well. He may not be able to express it well, but he loves her. And Ingrid understands that, and sometimes even says things like “wouldn’t it be boring for Adrian if he didn’t have a big sister” (and I agree).

I am not entirely sure if she quite understands how much emptier her own life would be without him, because she is more aware of the frustrations. She is old enough to sometimes want to play with her friends without Adrian being around all the time. But most of the time she enjoys his company as well.