My son and daughter are 9 years apart, and I worried their age gap would ruin their relationship. But they became true friends.

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• When I was pregnant with my daughter, I worried my older son and her wouldn't be close.
• But their nine-year age gap brought them closer together, and they became close friends.
• My son includes his sister in his life, and she looks up to him as a role model.

Like many parents, I pictured my children growing up side by side, playing together, and forming childhood memories as best friends. But then life, as it tends to do, threw a few curveballs my way.