Fences make good neighbours

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By Dr James Dobson

Fences make good neighbours. Sibling rivalry was responsible for the first murder on record when Cain killed Abel.

And it has been going on at a furious pace ever since.

While conflict between brothers and sisters occurs in virtually every family, it is possible to lessen the antagonism and create a more family-friendly atmosphere at home.

The key is for parents to enforce a reasonable set of boundaries between warring factions. Someone said: “Fences make good neighbours”. And I agree.

Let’s suppose the man next door and I lived in a rural village 100 years ago, without policemen and laws.

We would be more likely to fuss with one another than in a civilised society where laws are known and can be enforced.

So it is with children. When the older child can make life miserable for the younger boy or girl, or when the younger one can break the toys and mess up the things of his big brother or sister, then hatred is a natural outgrowth of that lawless environment.

That’s why I recommend parents set up reasonable rules for peaceful living at home, then enforce these rules. Only then can children live peacefully with their little rival next door.


From TODAY, Voices - Thursday, 18-March-2010
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