PARENTING
Dealing with Fighting Children By Tanith Carey Sibling rivalry and rows can be one of the most energy-sapping, nervejangling aspects of parenting. Now, still in partial lockdown, I’m pretty sure you desperately need a rest from constant cries of: “Mum, he hit me!” or “She’s taken my toy!” Stressful as it can be, it helps to remember that ALL siblings fight sometimes - it can even be a positive part of your children’s development which offers a safe training ground to learn how to deal with conflict. It’s a natural part of family life which can never be avoided completely because it stems back to each child’s primitive need to survive by not missing out on their parents’ care and protection. Squabbles and explosions flare up because children are still developing control over the part of the brain that helps them manage their impulses. In the teen years, rows can further escalate when siblings start to directly compare achievements and to define themselves in opposition to each other.
If you introduce evidence-based parenting strategies, which are based on science, not opinion, I guarantee your kids will get on better – even if not ALL of the time. HERE ARE MY 12 DETAILED TIPS. You can read more in my books: What’s My Child Thinking What’s My Teen Thinking: Practical Child Psychology for Modern Parents with Dr Angharad Rudkin.
But looking at it from the point of view of children, understanding what kids are REALLY fighting over and taking into account their development really helps. 6 July/August 2020
familiesonline.co.uk
