The Relationship Between Siblings

Eighty-two percent of American children have siblings, and the impact that brothers and sisters have on each other’s development is profound. Siblings are among our very first relational experiences, and are typically our most enduring ones. As psychologist Hara estroff Marano writes, “Despite siblings’ power to inflame, they are the longest-lasting relationships many of us ever have. Others may help us become who we are, but no one else knows us from the beginning to the end…” (2010, p. 56)

Unfortunately, this power can cut both ways: while it can enrich a child’s life and make them stronger, it can also inflict permanent wounds that become the source of ongoing distress. In conducting interviews for their book Siblings Without Rivalry, Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish report: “I had always been aware of the part that parents played in shaping their children’s lives, but never until this moment had I considered how powerfully siblings could affect each other’s destiny. Yet here was one grown man saying he still has to be the boss; another who is still driving himself to keep up; a woman who still feels she can never measure up; and another who is still suffering from having to be ‘the good girl.’ And mainly because of who their siblings happened to be.” (1998, p. 10) Of course, it isn’t so much the siblings themselves that exert such power; it’s how the God’s of every child’s universe (you the parents) treat them in relation to their siblings.

Parenting also changes once you bring a second child into the family. In fact, the problems parents have in managing sibling rivalry and sibling conflict is probably the #1 most difficult parenting challenge families face. It’s what gives rise to most of their every-day hassles, and the conundrums presented by sibling conflict has left many-a-parent perplexed.

How to better manage sibling relationships

With so much riding on the relationship your kids have with one another, it’s worth taking a little extra time to learn how to better manage sibling relationships. Our eBook, Super Siblings will arm you with time-tested techniques for parenting siblings, everything from how to discipline so that the kids don’t constantly drag you into their battles. To create incentive systems and teamwork building activities that will dramatically reduce the amount of conflict in your home. It’s just $7.99 (a tiny price to pay for the return on investment you will get from this book). All proceeds from your purchase go to help kids in need. You can also select from the free online information linked below.

Information for Parents on Dealing With Siblings

The following information is available online for free:

Sibling Relationships

 

Sibling Rivalry & Jealously

  • Sibling rivalry & jealous
  • How to prevent sibling rivalry
  • Jealously between siblings
  • What causes sibling rivalry
  • Why siblings don’t get along
  • Sibling Teasing & Bickering

 

Sibling Conflict & Fighting Between Siblings

 

Promoting positive sibling relationships

 

More information that will help your kids
to get along

If you truly want to get sibling issues under control, you definitely need our eBook Super SiblingsIt’s just $7.99 (all proceeds from your purchase will go to help children in need), and is packed with valuable information you can;t get online.

How to Improve the Relationship
Between Your Kids

Sibling relationships

  • The complex nature of sibling relationships
  • Realistic expectations for your kids
  • How siblings benefit from one another

 

The roles children play in the family
Children routinely fall into patterns or roles within the family that guide the way they behave. Learn how these roles impact sibling dynamics and how they might contribute to the problems you experience.

Separate but fair
Parents often drive themselves nuts trying to ensure equal treatment between their kids in every facet of life. This chapter will teach parents how to instill the concept that fairness does not always perfectly equitable treatment, so that kids don’t expect to be treated exactly the same as their sibling.

Labeling and comparing kids (eBook)
Parents frequently (and inadvertently) label and compare their children to one another. In our eBook we show the subtle ways in which parents do this and offer tips to help reverse this trend of sibling comparison.

Parental favoritism

  • Why parents have favorites (eBook)
  • Dealing with favoritism (eBook)
  • Talking to kids about favoritism (eBook)
  • How to overcome thoughts of favoritism (eBook)
  • Little Miss Goody Two-Shoes: Protecting the favored child from the burden of too much praise (eBook)

 

Bringing a new baby into the family

  • Sibling aggression towards a baby
  • Dealing with jealousy of the new baby and other behavioral problems
  • Regression to baby-like behaviors in older brothers and sisters

Sibling conflict

  • The purpose of sibling conflict & how to keep your sanity when the kids are fighting
  • What really goes on in sibling relationships
  • Sibling entrapment: Why the “good” child who tells may not be so good after all
  • Pinpointing the sources of sibling conflict
  • The togetherness trap
  • The principle of minimal interference
  • Settling disputes between children
  • Disciplining children when they fight
  • A younger child hurting an older one
  • Why children want whatever the other child is playing with


Promoting positive sibling relationships

  • Enjoyable experiences that will build their bond
  • Teamwork building activities for siblings
  • Fostering positive feelings between siblings
  • How to turn children into caretakers for their siblings
  • Fostering helpful behavior between brothers and sisters