Sibling Rivalry: Part One

Sibling Rivalry!! It is one of the bummers of parenting that makes sterilization sound like a good idea at times. In the hundreds of thousands of parents that we have come in contact with over the years, sibling rivalry is always a hot topic and one that makes parents plea for solutions. As parents, we must to be very intentional about keeping sibling rivalry to a minimum in our homes. It is a great benefit of the grace-based model of parenting as we raise our kids. If sibling rivalry is making you want to pull out your hair, then have I got a blog series for you! This eight part blog series is meant to help you apply Grace Based Parenting to those times when you want to start a new reality show that no one has had the guts to produce – “Kid Swapping”! When it comes to Keeping Sibling Rivalry to a Minimum, the first tip requires a mirror:

1. Make sure you are not teaching your kids to bicker by the way you treat your spouse or others.

Kids rarely come up with an original idea themselves. They are like little mimes who mimic what they see modeled. So if they see you and your hubby or wife constantly picking at each other and being disagreeable as a rule and not an exception, they will have even more reason and fuel to perfect the fine art of sibling rivalry. Why not instead, take the energy you might use blowing your top at each other and channel it into more positive role modeling. Let your kids see how you honor each other with your speech and actions even when you are irritated with each other. (By the way, my next blog series will be on Conflict Resolution) Although, the ship of sibling rivalry will not do a 180 immediately, parents can begin the process of turning things around by modeling honor and respect in the home. Sibling Rivalry: Part One Sibling Rivalry: Part Two Sibling Rivalry: Part Three Sibling Rivalry: Part Four Sibling Rivalry: Part Five Sibling Rivalry: Part Six Sibling Rivalry: Part Seven Sibling Rivalry: Part Eight