Behavior Makeover: Sibling Battles

Some battles are inevitable

I'm at my wit's end. It seems all my kids do is fight, and I spend most of my time acting like a referee. My husband says that when I step in, I'm just making it worse. Then my son always tells me that I let his younger brother "get away with murder." Well, if I don't intervene, the two spend the day locked in mortal combat. Any ideas????

– Leticia, mother of two from Grand Rapids, Michigan

"Jenna hit me!"
"Give me back my CD!"
"You broke my favorite Barbie!"

Sibling quarrels are among the most exasperating home front issues. Put any two kids together for a length of time, and the three little words you're most likely to hear are, "It's not fair!" Don't go crazy trying to make things equal; it's impossible! Although battles are inevitable, world war doesn't have to be the outcome. There are a few things you can do that will alleviate the bickering and in the process help your kids learn to treat each other more peacefully. Besides, if they don't learn how to get along at home, where else will they learn?

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