🎭 "I’m Helping!" — Sibling-Style Support (Whether You Want It or Not)

I have many siblings -- ten to be precise. A blessing and a curse, all at once.

Siblings teach you patience, understanding, frustration, distress — and pretty much every other human emotion known to man. Sometimes all at the same time. Now multiply that by ten.

Celebrating Christmas in July with my sisters a couple of years ago.

Horrifying, isn’t it?

Yep. I have three sisters and seven brothers.

There were times during my childhood when I sincerely hoped I’d been accidentally switched at birth, and my real parents would show up like Calgon and “take me away!”

Spoiler alert: They never came. I’ve been stuck with my siblings my entire life.

And let me tell you — they love to “help.”

Their help can take many forms:

• Piling on one more insult when you're already down

• Telling a story that is either: (a) so embarrassing you’ve spent years trying to forget it, or (b) so completely made up, you’re concerned they actually believe it

And sometimes, their help was more... physical:

• Hiding your shoes right before you're supposed to leave

• Stealing food from your plate like it’s a competitive sport

  
  

They are always — and I do mean always — ready to "help."

The Sacred Art of Seat-Stealing

My personal favorite? The seat-stealing ambush.

If you dared to get up — even for a second — someone would swoop in, plop down in your spot, and yell:

“On your feet, lose your seat!”

Just like that, your seat was gone.

In a house with that many people, seats were like treasure. If you didn’t protect yours like gold, you’d be standing the rest of the night.

In our family, help wasn’t just a habit. It was a competitive sport.

Tabitha’s Special Brand of Help

These days, most of us are technically grown up (on paper, at least), but the helping never ends. My sister Tabitha, in particular, has taken it upon herself to regularly assist my husband, Matt — my husband and unwilling muse - whether he wants it or not.

And she is committed to the cause.

She’ll casually drop into a normal conversation and offer a “reminder” about something Matt did ten years ago that was: (a) a mistake, (b) something that will stir me up again, or (c) both.

Matt will look at her. Just look.

Tabitha, with a devilish grin, will shrug and innocently say:

“What? I’m helping you.”

One of her greatest hits?

The time Matt completely forgot about the pork chops on the grill. Instead of forcing him to admit it, Tabitha kindly offered up a better excuse:

“He wasn’t forgetting. He was just trying to grill them all the way through… on one side.”

Matt, deadpan, mutters:

“Your help is not helping.”

And just when Matt thinks he’s safe, she’ll casually ask:

“Do you need my help?”

He never hesitates with the answer:

“Absolutely not.”

Let’s Be Honest…

I have to admit — when the “help” is being directed at Matt?

It’s way more fun.

Sibling mischief is a lifelong tradition. And as long as I’m not the one getting “helped,” I’m more than happy to enjoy the show from the sidelines.

Because honestly… what are siblings for, if not to build your character — one roast at a time? 😉

From Sibling “Help” to Grotesque Inspiration

Turns out, growing up with ten siblings gives you a very well-developed sense of facial expressions. You've got the look of barely-contained rage, the glare of betrayal, the smirk of victory, and the blank stare of “I’m about to snap” — all seared into your memory forever.

So, when I started painting my grotesque monks? Yeah… those faces came naturally.

Every furrowed brow, weary eye, and subtle scowl was already living rent-free in my brain. And I may or may not have borrowed a few expressions from my beloved family members. (Looking at you, Tabitha.)

Matt’s also doing his part — mostly by unintentionally inspiring new expressions on the daily. I say it’s educational.

Curious how all that turned into 13 purple-robed monks on bold backdrops?

Check out the grotesque series here. (Spoiler: There’s a lot of personality… and maybe some unresolved sibling trauma.)

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