11 Key Ways to Curb Sibling Rivalry in Your Home

It’s crucial for parents to effectively teach their children how to tolerate one another, resolve conflicts amicably and develop a healthy relationship. This invariably affects how they interact with others outside the home.

So, want to curb the endless fights and jealousy and foster a close-knit relationship among your children? Find 11 key tips you should note below.

1. Reprimand privately. When a child misbehaves, talk to him privately. Do not shame any child in the presence of the others for any reason to prevent subsequent teasing that will make the child feel worse about his misbehaviour and fuel conflicts among him and his siblings later on.

2. Don’t compare. You don’t want one sibling to start resenting or envying the other because mum and dad continuously refer to him as the ‘perfect’ child he will probably never measure up to. Let each of your children be their own person and help them improve on their weaknesses without comparing.

3. No preferential treatment. Showing you prefer one child to the others will definitely backfire as the preferred child may start acting superior, making the others feel bad and team up against him. Try to treat all your kids equally – same rules and privileges should always apply.

READ ALSO: 9 Ways to Help An Older Sibling Adjust to A New Baby

4. Always listen to both sides. Never judge based on assumptions or previous conflicts. Take your time to listen carefully to all sides and judge fairly, giving valid reasons all parties can identify clearly too.

5. Set limits and enforce consequences. What are the usual causes of conflicts among your children? Have a meeting with them and agree on rules to abate them as well as consequences. Enforce these consequences to the letter when any of them errs to serve as a deterrent to others.

READ ALSO: 5 Ways To Help Your Children Get Along With Each Other

6. Teach empathy. Teach your kids to always do to others what they would equally tolerate from others to enable them think deeply about their actions and understand how their actions can affect others. Even when they are not responsible for what the other person is going through, they will be able to feel their pain and act in a helpful manner.

7. Create ways to help them bond. Identifying their common interests and letting them plan and engage in these activities regularly will promote their affinity for one another.

8. Foster team spirit. Give them joint projects and responsibilities in your home, and let them decide how to get them done among themselves with minimal supervision from you. This will enable them accommodate each other better and foster more unity. Remember to keep the tasks safe and age-appropriate.

9. Discourage aggressiveness, teach conflict resolution skills. Teach them effective ways to iron out their differences amicably without reporting to you. Let them know they have to learn to tolerate each other and using their fists or holding grudges should never be an option.

10. Try to give equal attention. Do all you can to create time to spend with your kids both individually and collectively. One should never feel ignored or less attended to because of the other.  Devise regular ways to reassure them all of your love.

11. Be a worthy example. Make your home a peaceful haven for your kids to thrive and learn the right values. Resolve conflicts amicably with your spouse and maintain a united front to enable your kids learn from your example.