5 Tips for Dealing with Sibling Rivalry

4. Don’t take sides

It is best to remain neutral when resolving sibling feuds. This is important for a fair judgment. The guilty party should be punished sternly whereas the victimized should be asked reason for the offense. For example, if the elder brother hits out at the younger one, there must be a reason or an event that forced him to be physical. Hence it is important to be strict towards both the parties, so that such incidents do not occur again.

5. Kid around

It is best to use humor to defuse a potentially volatile situation. You can point out a potentially embarrassing episode of the offending sibling to stop him or her in their tracks. It calms down the situation and gives an escape route to the tension in the room.

Sibling rivalry occurs due to jealousy, competition and fighting between brothers and sisters. It can be frustrating and stressful for the parents. The rivalry is often influenced by various factors like parental treatment, personality and experiences outside the family. The above tips can help parents lead a healthy family life with two or more siblings.