Sibling rivalry is one of the most common problems parents face when they have two or more children. Now that summer vacation is here, young siblings are together most of the time, whether it's playing or doing chores and other activities.
With this too much togetherness in their hands, it's only a matter of time before fighting and bickering occur. When it happens, how should parents cope? Yelling at youngsters to stop fighting doesn't do the trick alone.
According to Calgary Herald, children could have a hard time adjusting to too much free time after being wrapped in a tight school schedule for 10 months, but this downtime isn't necessarily bad. In fact, parents can use this free time to teach their children valuable lessons that they can carry until adulthood.
Create A Family Schedule
Before summer begins, parents should orient their children about chores, responsibilities in the house, bedtimes, curfews, screen time, play time, and family holidays. This can be achieved by posting a colorful calendar in the house that details all the activities and events during a specific week.
Both parents and children should know that it's alright for kids to be alone or to play by themselves especially if fights with their siblings occur more often than not. Parents can create a list of activities that kids can do alone such as reading books, drawing, painting, and puzzles. These activities can serve as "breathers" until children feel calmed enough that they can go back to playing with their siblings again.
Do's And Don'ts
Parents play a huge role when their children start developing sibling rivalries. The Child Development Institute advised parents to steer away from comparing one kid to another. Every child is unique; they have their own goals and expectations that they can fully relate to. Comparing their goals and accomplishments to other kids can mess them up.
Parents should know when to step in and mediate whenever their young children fight. Sometimes it is better to allow kids to settle their differences first and to explain their sides to one another. This way, children learn at a young age that they don't always need a third party to resolve their disagreements with other people.
KidsHealth advised parents to avoid focusing on which child is to blame for the fight. A quarrel constitutes two people and anyone who is involved is partly responsible.
Establishing a win-win situation also helps prevent sibling rivalry. For instance, if both child want the same toy, parents can provide them with a different game instead that they can play together.
Do you have an experience in sibling rivalry? Tell us below.
