You are all so very lucky to have children to bask over!

We were never able to have kids of our own, but we ended up "helping" with myriad nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and friends' children.

I am still in touch with most of them, and right now they range from 19 to 3. I have them here at the house in summer and for school holidays, and we have a blast. I am so proud of all of them...not a bad student in the bunch and all are really nice people in their own right.

I too sit and watch the dynamics when they are all together. Reminds me of my own childhood, when we all (cousins, close friends, etc,) were together at the shore in summer, at the house for the holidays, etc. We all got along like a house afire, and these kids do too.

Anyway, the crux of the issue is that your kids reflect your upbringing, nillawafer. Remember how we all were, and now you are seeing it in your progeny (except it is MUCH less crowded than we were...remember???)