me and my sisHaving four boys spaced so close together in age, the topic of "sibling rivalry" is a huge one for me. Seeing my boys play together nicely is one of the things that warms my heart the most. At the same time, nothing irritates or frustrates me more than listening to arguing, screaming, crying, hitting and fighting.
This topic is so important to me not just for my own peace, but also because I believe that sibling relationships have a pivotal role in shaping a child's life and view of themselves. In addition, I believe the home is where children begin to develop the skills they will use for all the caring relationships in their life. There's so much they need to know! Problem solving skills are essential - not just for sibling relationships, but for all of life. Unconditional love, respect, kindness, sharing, listening and empathy are other characteristics that need to be developed. But how? Maybe I'll ponder on these things in another post, but for now I wanted to share one simple little thing I do that helps with sibling rivalry and I think other moms might enjoy this too. I tell my boys stories from my childhood growing up.
My older sister and I truly were best buddies and so I share with my boys how special that was for me. I tell about games we used to play, adventures we had together, jokes we thought were funny, and on and on. Especially at times when fighting is at a high point, I'll start throwing in stories casually at random times throughout the day -for instance while eating lunch, bathtime, or bedtime. They find it so fascinating! Down to the smallest, silliest story, they think it's just great! I get frequent request to, "Tell about when you were little." I'd like to think that maybe these stories inspire them to get along and be friends.
I think this idea could work for any parent, no matter how you grew up. If it wasn't so ideal, you could share about that and how hard it was and things from that perspective. You may find, like me, that your children are more interested in your childhood than you would expect and that they can learn from our experiences - positive and negative. As for me, I'm having fun digging up old memories and sharing them with my little ones. What about you - have you found the same to be true? Do you have any tips to share for dealing with sibling rivalry?
This topic is so important to me not just for my own peace, but also because I believe that sibling relationships have a pivotal role in shaping a child's life and view of themselves. In addition, I believe the home is where children begin to develop the skills they will use for all the caring relationships in their life. There's so much they need to know! Problem solving skills are essential - not just for sibling relationships, but for all of life. Unconditional love, respect, kindness, sharing, listening and empathy are other characteristics that need to be developed. But how? Maybe I'll ponder on these things in another post, but for now I wanted to share one simple little thing I do that helps with sibling rivalry and I think other moms might enjoy this too. I tell my boys stories from my childhood growing up.
My older sister and I truly were best buddies and so I share with my boys how special that was for me. I tell about games we used to play, adventures we had together, jokes we thought were funny, and on and on. Especially at times when fighting is at a high point, I'll start throwing in stories casually at random times throughout the day -for instance while eating lunch, bathtime, or bedtime. They find it so fascinating! Down to the smallest, silliest story, they think it's just great! I get frequent request to, "Tell about when you were little." I'd like to think that maybe these stories inspire them to get along and be friends.
I think this idea could work for any parent, no matter how you grew up. If it wasn't so ideal, you could share about that and how hard it was and things from that perspective. You may find, like me, that your children are more interested in your childhood than you would expect and that they can learn from our experiences - positive and negative. As for me, I'm having fun digging up old memories and sharing them with my little ones. What about you - have you found the same to be true? Do you have any tips to share for dealing with sibling rivalry?
