The Best Kind of Sibling Rivalry

Can't we all just get along?

It's Thanksgiving! So of course we ran a 5K this morning and laughed about the time a big group of us won like 8 turkeys in the Towson Turkey Trot. Later we'll eat some turkey but that's not really what it's about - it's about reliving the fun times and making new memories. And of course football. Football and  Thanksgiving are like ketchup and eggplant (a taste combination my 5 year old adores).

Now, we live in Pittsburgh, a town that takes football seriously. But I'm a Browns fan like my dad and brother. My husband cheers for dem Stillers, and in the extended family we have Redskins, Ravens, Packers and Giants fans.

QB Love

And my kids? My kids are still trying to decide who they want to cheer for. Unlike a lot of Pittsburghers, I'm totally cool with that. Back when I was growing up, some of my cousins would cheer for Michigan just to irritate my grandparents who only wanted the family to cheer for Ohio State. And on our Under 8 soccer team this year, my assistant coach didn't like that the kids chose the name "Wolverines."

I'm not going to turn sports teams into a source of family dispute.

Now, I'm not saying I'd be thrilled if my kids started cheering for Duke. Sure, basic necessities might be withheld until they regained their senses.

But when it comes to the NFL, I say, cheer for whomever you want. Suffer the heartbreak when your team loses the AFC Championship or revel in the glory when the Super Bowl confetti rains down. Hopefully my kids will share many of my beliefs and values but I'd be fooling myself if I thought we'd agree on everything. Choosing their own team to cheer for is good practice for all of us.