Tips For Parents In Dealing With Sibling Rivalry

Sibling rivalry happens most of the time. While it may be common for brothers and sisters to fight, it's certainly not pleasant for anyone in the house. A family can only tolerate a certain amount of conflict. But there are a lot of helpful tips to avoid this from happening, here are some of them:

* Identify why your kids fight. There can be many things that can cause why your kids fight. This may include their evolving needs, temperament, special needs, and their role models. Every stage of kids' life identifies differences of character and needs. This can be a big factor that can influence one another to fight. Their health can also be a cause. If one of them is not feeling well, he may seem irritable.

* What to do when they start to fight: Whenever possible, don't let your self get involved. Bat in only if there is a tendency of a physical harm. If you always interfere, there is a risk of you creating another problem. One of them might feel that the other one is more important than him or her. Don't let them get used that you are always there to rescue from the battle that they are at.

* The best way is to separate them until they are calm. Sometimes it is just great to give them space for a little. Otherwise, the fight might escalate again.

* Avoid figuring on who is to be blamed when the fight started. Both of them are involved and are responsible of the conflict.

* Try to set up a win-win situation. In this way both children gains something. If both of them wants to play the same toy, shift the attention of the other to another toy.

* Let them learn in this experience. As kids cope with disputes, they also learn important skills that will serve them for life - like how to value another person's perspective, how to compromise and negotiate, and how to control aggressive impulses.

* Help your kids get along.

* Set ground rules for acceptable behavior. Tell them that there should be no yelling, no cursing, no slamming of doors, no name-callings.

* Involve your child in making rules. This will help them realize that they are liable in every action that they make.

* Let your kids understand that not everything always has to be fair and equal. Sometimes one kid needs more than the other.

* Make sure kids have their own space and time to do their own thing.

* Recognize when kids just need time apart from each other and the family dynamics. Try arranging separate play dates or activities for each kid occasionally. And when one child is on a play date, you can spend one-on-one time with another.

* If your children frequently squabble over the same things, make a schedule showing who between them can use that item and at what time or what day. But if they keep on fighting over it, take away the prize from both of them.

* Be proactive in giving your kids one-on-one attention directed to their interests and needs.

* Have time to have fun together as a family to establish a peaceful way for your kids to spend time together and relate to each other. This can help ease tensions between them and also keeps you involved. Since the parents' attention is something many kids fight over, fun family activities can help reduce conflict.

* If fights between your kids are frequent, hold weekly family meetings in which you repeat the rules. Consider a reward system as to who earn points whenever one of them starts a fight.

* Show and tell your kids that, for you, love is not something that comes with limits. Let them gradually understand that the limits that you give them are for their own good.

* Let them know that they are safe, important, and loved.

Gift for your kids is one way to let them feel they are adored. I am sure you want them to be together in whatever situation someday. Read them some story from one of their storybook collection before going to sleep. By now, for you to enjoy their cuteness as kids, it is wonderful to see them together captured in a very memorable photo that someday you will see in their photo album.

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