Sibling rivalry in adults may have started when they were children and was waved off by parents because they believed they would overgrow the feeling.
Some mothers don’t know how to stop sibling rivalry and they resign themselves to the fate that their children must fight for attention and affection till they become adults. Sibling rivalry during teenage years is as unpleasant as when it first started.
Below are 10 things mothers should do about sibling rivalry.
*Let your children know that all of them are equal in your heart. Don’t let jealousy destroy your children’s relationship with each other. Your attention towards all of them should be should always be fair and balanced. This is how to deal with sibling rivalry.
*Allow your children to express their feelings. When you provide your child with a safe place to talk about their feelings, you let them know that it’s okay to have mixed feelings about their siblings and that you are there to help them sort it out.
*Spend time alone with each of your kids on a regular basis. Read a book to your youngest child. Go to the gym with your son. Go see a movie or go shopping with your teenage daughter. Your children need your love and attention individually, so give it to them.
*Let every child know their role in your family. Teach our older children to set good examples for their younger ones. The younger ones should also respect the older ones. Point out these roles without wavering.
*Your children need time and space to be alone. Create a safe zone for each child to be able to have time alone and make sure it’s respected by their siblings. Respect for personal space should be ingrained in your children.
*Siblings remember every detail of what was given to whom and when. Set a timetable for giving special gifts to each child and stick to it. If the timetable must be broken, make sure you give a clear and reasonable explanation as to why.
*Teach your children the value of team work by nudging them to do things together. You can start by planning regular activities that require your children to work as a team. This will promote cooperation, trust, and bonding.
*Stay neutral when your children fight. Sometimes, it’s easy to assume who started a fight or who’s to blame but refuse to take sides. Remain focused on helping your children learn how to handle conflicts better next time. This is how to deal with sibling rivalry in toddlers.
*It is important that you understand the talents and flaws of your children. Your first child might be a great athlete and the other might have a gift for painting. As a mother, you should discover the unique traits of each of your children and nurture them.
*Sometimes you just need to step aside when your children start fighting. You can’t resolve every issue. They need to learn to resolve their own conflicts by themselves. Just make sure they don’t injure one another. These are some of realistic sibling rivalry solutions every mother needs.