Friday, September 04, 2009

Sibling Rivalry

London, UKImage via Wikipedia

By Dr Bill Maier


"Tommy, stop hitting your sister!" "Jamie, tell your brother you're sorry!" My, my, you'd think two kids who came from the same womb could get along.

Sibling rivalry is a frustrating issue, and it's not always clear how to best handle it.

Most parents deal with it by separating the kids, maybe sending each of them to their rooms.

But doesn't that just teach them to walk away from their problems? There's a solution you might not have considered.

When kids can't get along, what they need is a lesson in cooperation. So why not discipline them by making them complete a task together?

Try giving them just one rake and one trash bag and having them clean a small section of the yard. It'll take a cooperative effort to get the job done.

Separating kids when they fight doesn't solve the problem; it just puts it off. What kids need is a lesson in working together.

From TODAY, Voices – Friday, 14-Aug-2009


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