Sibling Rivalry

Its inevitable, but manageable

Fri Jul 8, 2022

Say Yes to New Adventures

Don't worry about sibling rivalry, but do expect it. It's one of those facts of life that's pretty much inevitable.

Remember, rivalry is the natural outcome when two people compete for the same prize - in this case, the attention and love of their parents. You can help minimize the competition by;

Don't play favorites
Comparing your children or favoring one over the other will only increase resentment, intensify the fighting, and possibly lead to life-long problems in their relationship.
For the child who's not the favorite, a poor self image and jealousy towards his sibling are the likely results.
For the child who is the favorite, the burden of being 'the best' and having to live up to overblown parental expectations often results in a fear of failure.

Ease Competition
Don't make comparisons between children; comparisons promote competitiveness. Give each child what he needs in terms of time, support, love, material goods, and so on, to make your children less compelled to compete for your love and attention.
And remember that treating your children fairly doesn't mean treating them exactly the same.

Garima Malhotra

MDS, BDS, Certified Parenting Coach