Modern Parenting Tips: Styles & Approach to Disciplining & Training Children: 10 Solutions to Constantly Fighting Siblings

Fighting siblings have been around since the beginning of time, literally. It can stem from jealousy or even just age difference. It is our responsibility as adults to help kids work through their differences, in a calm and respectful manner. Listed below are ten solutions to constantly fighting siblings.

1. Don’t Take Sides. If a child notices an adult taking sides or favoring their sibling, they may start to resent both parties. Remember to be impartial, and look at both sides of the situation.

2.   Cooperation. Have the fighting siblings do activities that require them to work together, rather than against each other. Focus on cooperative games and not competitive ones.

3.   No Whining. Coach the fighting siblings and teach them to use a normal tone of voice when asking for something. If they start to whine, even when talking to a sibling, have them start over and ask again. They are much more likely to share with the other sibling, if their tone of voice is not shrieking or demanding.

4.   Alone Time. Make sure that fighting siblings have an adequate amount of time that they get to spend by themselves. Having a younger sibling that always tags along can get irritating, so make sure that you attempt to provide them time on their own too.

5.   One-on–One Time. Not only do kids need to have time for themselves, they also need some one-on-one time with their parents and caregivers. Make sure that you are giving both fighting siblings some undivided attention on a regular basis.

6.   Negotiate. Negotiating is a valuable skill that will come in handy later in life. Work with the children to learn to share their toys. During the negotiations, have the fighting siblings express their own emotions. This will help the other to see both sides.

7.   Hold Them Accountable. Avoid letting the “he started it” to set in, and help them to see that it takes two to have an argument. Show them how their actions are not improving the situation.

8.   Get Them Involved. Start a dialog to help the fighting siblings see the other person’s point of view. Ask the fighting siblings what they would have done, ask them if what they did was right and ask them how it should have been done differently.

9.   Role Play. Once they have figured out how the problem should have been handled, have them act it out. After practicing the right way to handle a situation, fighting siblings will be better equipped if it comes up again.

10. Set a Better Example. Take some time to think of how you react to stressful situations. Do you fly off the handle and yell or throw things? If so, how can you expect fighting siblings to behave differently? We need to be good role models for fighting siblings, and lead by example.

The fact is, fighting siblings will not always get along, and it is the job of their parents to help ease them through conflicts. Keep a calm head. Try some of the techniques above, and you will be well on your way to teaching them great conflict resolution skills.

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This article is taken from Babysitters. More interesting parenting articles are found in this site.

10 Solutions to Constantly Fighting Siblings is a post on Modern Parenting Tips: Styles & Approach to Train & Discipline Children

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