Peacefully Parenting through Sibling Struggles

Peacefully parenting through sibling struggles

I’ve been meaning to do a podcast on sibling relationships for quite a while now.

But honestly, each time I thought I’d cracked the code on peaceful sibling relationships, something would happen and my kids would prove me wrong.

Then I realized my thinking was flawed. No one has “cracked the code” on anything in parenting! Should any of us get that cocky, I guarantee something will happen to knock us off of our pedestal.

The one thing that I want to point out before we dive into this topic is, there are many, many different variables to every situation.

There’s birth order, age differences, personality traits, gender roles…so many things come into play when it comes to sibling relationships.

8 Do’s and Don’ts for Handling Sibling Struggles

1- Don’t play favorites

It’s so easy to show favoritism to one child over another. In fact, we may not even realize we’re doing it!

2- Do spend 1:1 time with each child

When we invest our time and energy, pouring into each child individually, they don’t need to act out for attention.

3- Don’t put a child in the role of parent

Try not to ask an older sibling to discipline or “parent” their younger sibling.

4- Do encourage and facilitate positive interactions between them.

Provide opportunities for each child to fill the others’ love bank.

5- Don’t jump in and try to solve their disagreements for them.

Moms love to fix things! But in most circumstances, we need to give them space to sort through things themselves.

6- Do teach your kids how to communicate their feelings with each other.

Teach your children how to use “I statements” to communicate calmly and clearly how they’re feeling. This skill will last them a lifetime!

7- Don’t forget that each child has their own unique personality.

Have you ever worked with someone who’s personality just clashed with yours? Some siblings just have personalities that clash. Be sure to pray for your child’s sibling relationships and push through the difficult times.

8. Speak to your kids the way you want them to speak to each other.

If you snap at your kids and speak harshly to them, chances are they will do the same to each other. It’s up to us to model gentle and kind communication.

Related Listening: The Fruit of the Spirit for Moms

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