“I get along fine with each child individually, but when the two of them are together, I can’t stand either one of them.”

– A frustrated parent (Faber & Mazlish, 1998, p.XIV)

Sibling conflict is as old as civilization. Literally. One of the oldest stories in recorded history is the biblical tale of Cane versus Abel, a cautionary lesson in what can happen when sibling conflict goes awry. Your children may not have murdered each other yet in a feat of jealous rage, but there may be times when it seems like they’ve come close. Which begs the question: If even God himself can’t keep siblings from going at each other, what hope do you have?

There isn’t a family in the world that escapes sibling conflict. But thankfully, the situation isn’t as dire as it seems, and there are many ways to manage it better. The usual strategies that parents employ tend to do little more than add to the resentment while creating more frustration for everyone involved. This is why the conflict continues and can seem so relentless at times.

This area will teach you tricks and techniques that will minimize the conflict and help you resolve it more effectively when it does arise. Your household may never be the Brady Bunch family, but it can be a whole lot less Cane and Abel.

Part 1: The dynamics of sibling conflict

• The purpose of sibling conflict & how to keep your sanity when the kids are fighting (eBook)
• What really goes on in sibling relationships (eBook)
• Sibling entrapment: Why the “good” child who tells may not be so good after all (eBook)
• Common causes of sibling conflict
• Pinpointing the sources of sibling conflict (eBook)

 

Part 2: Sibling Conflict Prevention

• Preventing sibling conflict
• The togetherness trap (eBook)
• More solutions for sibling conflict
• When kids share a bedroom

 

Part 3: Effective ways of dealing with sibling conflict

• How to deal with sibling conflict
• The principle of minimal interference (eBook)
• Settling disputes between children (eBook)
• Disciplining children when they fight (eBook)
• Kids hitting each other
• Sibling cruelty
• A younger child hurting an older one (eBook)
• Sibling teasing and bickering
• Fights over toys and property
• Why children want whatever the other child is playing with (ebook)
• Getting kids to share their toys