Any family with more than one child probably experiences sibling rivalry. Even the most harmonious siblings sometimes engage in taunting and fighting behaviors. It can be due to the clashing of their different personalities and temperaments. Another cause of rivalry is seeking attention from parents. Perhaps one child feels that the other child is being favored or receives more attention, leading to feelings of resentment.
Parents can help their children create healthy relationships with each other by encouraging them to listen to each other’s point of view instead of name-calling or physically aggressive responses. Parents can explain that their family is a team, and like any good team, they need to work together to enjoy a happy, peaceful home life. If members of a family fight, it hurts the entire family as a team.
Many times, parents are called in to intervene when their children fight. It is important to listen to each child without judgment. A child may often feel better by venting their feelings and frustration without interruption or quick solutions from parents. Try to allow your children to work things out by asking them to come up with solutions to their disagreements which are fair for each child. Encourage them to put themselves in the other person’s shoes before making suggestions.
Children watch their parents to see how they settle disagreements between themselves. They often model their own responses based on these observations. Hopefully, parents can show respect towards each other, even when they are in disagreement. In this way, children learn positive conflict resolution skills. This will help them with sibling rivalry as well as getting along with others as they grow and develop.
All Blogs are written by Professionals in the fields of Nutrition, Human Development and Diabetes.