It’s a sunny evening. I’m taking in the washing as the last of the summer sun fades gently into evening. I look down on my two oldest boys, 5 and 7, who are playing a game of chess. Yep, chess. I feel a warm glow as I watch the siblings playing happily together. I feel contentment. “I must be doing something right as a parent!”
Five minutes later my husband, a grim look on his face, is escorting our five year old upstairs. “What’s the matter?” I ask…
It appears that sibling relations are not as good as I thought. After Galen took Dante’s queen (not good if you’re planning on winning a game of chess), Dante decided to retaliate by picking up a chair and bashing Galen on the head with it.
What I want my Children to Learn
I know that boys are boy and kids are kids but they need to learn that bashing of any kind is not acceptable behaviour, however frustrated they may be.
They also need to learn that people and their siblings are far more important than any object or game.
Perhaps I need to read a few more articles on how to help my children get along!
After they’ve calmed down a little, we have a chat about hurting people and playing games (and why winning isn’t really the point of the game).
As ever in parenting, it’s a combination of setting the rules and giving them the tools to deal with it themselves. (As well as having realistic expectations.)
Here are some great articles from around the web that focus on helping sibling get along.
How to Help Siblings Get Along
Avoiding Sibling Arguments with Clear Instructions
Nurturing the Sibling Relationship
How I Stopped My Children from Squabbling
Encouraging Sharing Among Siblings
6 Ways to Help Siblings Get Along
A Surprising Solution to Sibling Fighting
Feeding Toddlers.
Would you like your kids to eat more healthily? Check out the book!