I Want My Kids to Get Along With Each Other

You really can take steps to stop the day-to-day struggles between your kids. The key is – you really have to get involved. Most importantly, don’t ignore your kid’s fighting and bickering. Instead, clearly let your kids know your expectations, “Let Molly know you’re mad without hitting her.” “If you don’t like what your brother is doing, come tell me and we’ll work it out together.” “You have to include your sister.”

If you don’t set limits when your kids are bickering, they will believe you accept their negative behavior, and then it’s more likely to continue.

Above all, to eliminate the rivalry, treat your kids fairly. If you tend to reward one of your kids and blame the other, re-evaluate and re-think your approach. When you’re fair and generous with your praise – “Thank you for sharing with your sister,” or “I’m glad you let Alex play with you” – your kids will feel better about themselves and be less likely to argue.

Whenever sibling rivalry moves beyond a few words spoken in haste, step in, set limits, and help your kids resolve their differences.

Ultimately your actions shape the relationship your kids have with each other!