When your kids fight it can drive you nuts! But, sibling conflict is a chance for children to learn:
- cooperation
- sharing
- empathy
- communication
- dealing with confrontation
- feelings
Research suggests that sibling relationships influence their quality of relationships as adults. It's up to us to help our kids work together and negotiate. It takes two to argue. Both kids need to take responsibility for a fight. Wait for them to calm down and then...
- Get each of them to identify the problem, how they feel and why.
- Get them to paraphrase why the other sibling is upset.
- Ask them for possible solutions or even better, get them to suggest a compromise.
Don't forget to praise them for a job well done in working things out.