[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If you are a parent to more than one child, you must have come across many instances where you just sigh to yourself and say “why can’t they just get along for a change?!” Well, we are here to help you deal with a very natural but avoidable topic in your house; sibling rivalry.

First we need to go over certain forms of sibling rivalry. The following actions are considered different forms of sibling rivalry:

Name calling, blaming, poking, making false accusations, challenging a belief, arguing, tattling, hitting/throwing things at each other just to name a few. 

As parents, you must understand what the future consequences of this could be. Children may develop into bullies, get their self-esteem hurt, get physically or emotionally hurt, have poor relationships as adults, lack empathy and not care for each other et cetera. Therefore, many careful steps must be taken to eradicate this issue from the house as soon as possible.  That said, sibling rivalry is often times a phase of immaturity, therefore inevitable, and children mostly grow out of it. [/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”How to Resolve?”][vc_tta_tour][vc_tta_section title=”Understanding the cause” tab_id=”1574749176850-d0ea9407-9be1″][vc_column_text] Consider the factors that influence the sibling relationship so that you can be more understanding of your children’s experiences and perhaps use that knowledge to mitigate the rivalry. It could be their birth order, your own comparisons instilled in their brains as labels for their personalities, their temper and tolerance around other kids etc. [/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Lose the label and divide attention” tab_id=”1574749176899-c676a042-d7aa”][vc_column_text]Often times adult unwittingly tend to be the root cause of certain issues. Putting labels on your children such as ‘the smartie’, ‘the athletic one’, ‘the wild one’ tends to create differences and feelings of jealousy in their tiny brains. If you call one of them smart, the other would feel left out. To avoid this, appreciate each one for who they are and spend equal amount of time with them. During that time, have that tea party, that dress up contest, go out to their favorite park; basically anything they’ve been wanting to do. Sometimes children tend to create a fuss just to get the attention they have been deprived of. So it’s important to take note of that. [/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Instill conflict resolution” tab_id=”1574749252550-c4ff0490-63d5″][vc_column_text] In order for them to express their emotions and frustration in a healthy manner, teach them “I feel…” sentences where they get to express their feelings. Hear each one out individually so that they feel heard. Most importantly, avoid favoritism and stay calm and objective.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Make Rules” tab_id=”1574749275963-ae3db19b-bf16″][vc_column_text]The easiest way to fix many issues around the house is to establish certain ground rules. For example, divide the game time so that they don’t fight over who gets to play the Play Station. Set a ‘no negative touch’ rule to avoid any physical incidents etc.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_tour][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]We understand how tough it must be to deal with fights and issues regarding rivalries around the house. But you have to stay hopeful and optimistic about it and try and go by the ideas we’ve provided you with. Together, we as adults can create a welcoming and friendly environment for our children to help them grow without limits.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]