Published By: Puja Sinha

Tips to Encourage Healthy Sibling Relationship

Because strategically dissuading sibling rivalry is an art

A sibling relationship that is not rife with negativities and tussles evidently promotes better academic achievements and pro-social behaviours from a young age. While parents cannot always step in to resolve the plethora of sibling conflicts, if such patterns and behaviours are nipped in the bud, children can grow up to share a deep bond of affection with their family.

Teach the Art of Appreciating Each Other’s Differences

If children are never stopped from mocking their peers for their different interests and temperaments, it would be impossible to stimulate any genuine feelings of love and tenderness.

Parents can encourage appreciation of diversity among kids by discouraging intolerant behaviour with kind language and patience and by helping children partake in a range of multicultural activities – be it within or outside the peripheries of home.

Provide Opportunities to Team Up

Assigning household tasks to kids not merely helps with skill development but also active engagement and cooperation with the other kids. With such DIY projects, children learn to create rapport and work with razor-sharp efficiency.

Chores such as painting, room cleaning, gardening, preparing dinner or pruning the indoor plants foster a positive attitude and enthusiasm towards other members. Such methodical teamwork reduces any scope for unnecessary outbursts or propensity to harbour negative feelings towards others.

Work on their Listening Skills 

Empathy in kids is strengthened when they work on listening skills and know the importance of understanding and being in cognizance of what the other siblings are saying. The listening skill polishes language and communication skills – also imperative to help siblings be each other’s allies without falling prey to misunderstandings and petty conflicts.

Encourage Disagreeing with Respect

Most of the sibling banters stem from disagreement and vehement opposition to each other’s opinions where they often find themselves at loggerheads. This is where kindness and concern come into play to prevent the situation from turning into a full-blown catastrophe.

Allow Individual Space 

The constant bickering among siblings could be fun and games till a certain point. The responsibility to bond and forge emotional intimacy should not do away with their individual space to nurture individuality and emotional health. Even for children, a healthy quantum of space is indispensable for the necessary peace and scope to express their creativity freely. In a larger context, kids are better equipped to deal with their emotions when parents allow the room to let them be.