When sibling fun doesn't work?

Do you have a sibling?
Were they older, younger, close in age?

I do, a brother , younger ( even though as he grew older and dwarfed me, he used to call me his little sister). We are 4 years apart. I have a doll that has just about stood the years and has been played with by Bel but now seems to be sitting in a box head and body separated. This is the doll (with red hair) that my grandmother gave me when  he was born, as I used to think that he was mine. My doll, my brother. As he grew older we played together easily. Not for us the pull of the endless kids programmes on the television. Or the Internet and its many childhood pleasures calling us. I loved him when he got his train set, which my dad then made a landscaped paper mache board for. I loved his toys and if my memory sees me right (it may not have been this rosy!) I enjoyed playing with him.

So where have I gone wrong, why won't my two play together happily. Is the age gap for them too big. Has the pull of the on tap entertainment pulled them apart.

Take today, for instance, I got up and Car was watching her telly. I turned it over to a programme for Bel and there was moaning. Bel then got her turn on the computer (because apparently puffles die if you don't feed them!). I got out some crayons and did some drawing with Car. We then went out this afternoon for a walk in the deep dark woods (yes, Car did spend most of it moaning to be carried but after starting a We're all going on a bear hunt hunt she calmed!)
We came home, off I went to cook supper and then after supper all hell broke out. Car was dying (literally in tears) for Bel to play with her. But Bel wouldn't - she didn't want to. Neither had played with each other all day. I felt a deep anger grow inside of me and demanded to know why? Why, was it so hard for them to play together. I got excuses and tears from both. Up, I then went to play with Car and told Bel that she couldn't then join in! I was hitting my harsh nasty mother threshold and I knew that my words would hurt.
Eventually, I came downstairs and Bel apologised as I did to her - and then the playing began.

I am now sitting here, with the kids in bed and him out, knowing that I could have handled it better. But how, how can I make them play together nicely. How can I see that having each other is a joy they should encourage.

BNM

PS this post is for Nickie @ Typecast to show that there are words still alive out here in the blog sphere!