From the Parent Cue
Like with most things in parenting, we’re better off if we tackle problems proactively rather than waiting around for them to pop up again. That’s why the first four items we’ll discuss are designed to take place in moments of peace. In our home they’re just part of the routine.
And when sibling conflict happens—because you know it does—we have a plan for that too.
After all, a home without conflict isn’t an achievable or worthwhile goal. Our kids are going to argue. And we, as loving parents, are here to help them through it.
We can do this by giving our kids:
1. Time alone
In our home this looks like an hour or two a day for each kid to think, create, and play without the influence of another person. This space allows younger siblings to feel autonomous and older siblings to move at whatever pace suits them best. Oftentimes, our boys come out ready and excited to jump back into mostly harmonious play.
2. Time together
Brothers and sisters need regular opportunities for shared joy. Think: fun, physical, bonding, or ritual. You might teach your kids a lighthearted game like paper football, set up a sprinkler in the backyard, challenge them to accomplish a difficult task together, or schedule a weekly sibling sleepover complete with a movie in one of their bedrooms.
3. A special place in our heart
As parents, we love each of our children deeply and uniquely, but do our kids know it? We can tell them with our words and with our actions as we spend time getting to know them as individuals and inviting them out for one-on-one adventures. This tip isn’t just for feel-goods. Research shows that as kids understand what makes them special in a parent’s eyes, they soften toward their siblings.
4. Recognition and reminders
We said it before: parenting siblings is a gift and a challenge. The same is true for being a sibling. Right? Our kids know this, so we might as well own up to it. In our family we repeat two key phrases on the regular:
5. The skills to work things out (and a whole lot of practice)
You can try every trick in the book and you’ll still occasionally find your kids in a screaming match; or a he-said, she-said; or maybe even a knock-down, drag-out.
Thankfully, these moments are begging for a life lesson. Teach your kids to listen to one another, to respond with kindness, to share their true feelings, and to work toward resolution. Guide these conversations as needed, sit back and oversee when you can, and, eventually, you might say, “You kids work it out and report back to me.”
Parents can dream, can’t we?
And when sibling conflict happens—because you know it does—we have a plan for that too.
After all, a home without conflict isn’t an achievable or worthwhile goal. Our kids are going to argue. And we, as loving parents, are here to help them through it.
We can do this by giving our kids:
1. Time alone
In our home this looks like an hour or two a day for each kid to think, create, and play without the influence of another person. This space allows younger siblings to feel autonomous and older siblings to move at whatever pace suits them best. Oftentimes, our boys come out ready and excited to jump back into mostly harmonious play.
2. Time together
Brothers and sisters need regular opportunities for shared joy. Think: fun, physical, bonding, or ritual. You might teach your kids a lighthearted game like paper football, set up a sprinkler in the backyard, challenge them to accomplish a difficult task together, or schedule a weekly sibling sleepover complete with a movie in one of their bedrooms.
3. A special place in our heart
As parents, we love each of our children deeply and uniquely, but do our kids know it? We can tell them with our words and with our actions as we spend time getting to know them as individuals and inviting them out for one-on-one adventures. This tip isn’t just for feel-goods. Research shows that as kids understand what makes them special in a parent’s eyes, they soften toward their siblings.
4. Recognition and reminders
We said it before: parenting siblings is a gift and a challenge. The same is true for being a sibling. Right? Our kids know this, so we might as well own up to it. In our family we repeat two key phrases on the regular:
- “Being a big brother / little brother can be tough!”
- “You boys can be friends for life if you treat each other with kindness and respect.”
5. The skills to work things out (and a whole lot of practice)
You can try every trick in the book and you’ll still occasionally find your kids in a screaming match; or a he-said, she-said; or maybe even a knock-down, drag-out.
Thankfully, these moments are begging for a life lesson. Teach your kids to listen to one another, to respond with kindness, to share their true feelings, and to work toward resolution. Guide these conversations as needed, sit back and oversee when you can, and, eventually, you might say, “You kids work it out and report back to me.”
Parents can dream, can’t we?