Parenting Tips: How to Stop Sibling Rivalry

Mark Feinberg Sibling Rivalry Sibling Rivalry Penn State's Siblings Are Special Laurie Kramer

By Abbie Kraft , Parent Herald Apr 11, 06:00 am

Children ages 3 to 9 would usually have bickering fights every hour. Sibling rivalry does not have a gender specification, which means that it does not necessarily have a root cause, but it can be stopped and avoided.

Sibling rivalry is normal in most families, but the endless bickering fights can sometimes be stressful for parents. Though it may be challenging to avoid at first, it can be resolved in the near future. Rivalry and jealousy among children are part of their everyday life, but it is the parent's responsibility to help them control and outgrow the emotion. There are several tips on how to deal and resolve sibling rivalry.

Team Up!

Treat them as a team, and have them work together. Make them understand that things don't have to be a competition all the time. According to Parenting, it is important to make them bring out the best of each other. Making them work together helps them realize their importance and makes them value their relationship with each other.

"Siblings who feel like they're working together, rather than being opponents, will naturally help each other out," Mark Ferinberg, Ph.D. said. "In order to earn playtime, my three siblings and I had to clear the table," says Grivas. "The younger kids stacked dishes and the older ones cleared and washed them. Then we dried and put them away. Working together, it took no time at all."

Quality Time is a Must

Spending time with each kid makes them feel special, but spending time with both of them makes everything more fun. As per Health eNews, parents should not be biased and should try to minimize praising one sibling in front of the other. Constant communication during family time is a great way to have the siblings communicates towards better.

There are countless tips as to how to deal with sibling rivalry. These are just some of the best ways in dealing with sibling rivalry. If you do have your own tips on how to deal with it, do let us know on the comments section below. Who knows, we might feature your parenting tips in the near future.