sibling rivalry

What To Do When Siblings Fight

What To Do When Siblings Fight

• Sometimes arguments between siblings happen at regular times like chore time, getting ready for school, over certain television programs or at the dinner table. Learn to recognise stress times.
• Children will often argue over something they feel isn't fair. This can be anything from asking them to set the table instead of their brother to asking one to shower before the other.
• Your children are different from each other. At times you have to and should treat them differently. When you do, you can sometimes be more 'fair' than if you treated them exactly the same all the time.
• Solving disputes is a constant challenge. Most good ideas work for about six weeks! To help lower the potential for fights you can try:
  • having the children do the same chore together
  • working with them - between them if needed!
  • taking turns, eg one child washes the dishes one night and dries them the next, or one child chooses the television program on Wednesday and the other on Thursday, or one sits next to the window on the way there and the other on the way back
  • giving each a set number of chores so that everyone has a 'fair' amount to do.
  • reading or telling a story or singing songs while the chores are being done, children are getting ready for school or travelling (this is more appropriate for young children as it gives them something else to think about and reduces the time for arguments).

Parenting tips & parenting articles copyright & courtesy
Department for Community Devlp, Australia.

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