How Parents can Promote Positive Sibling Relationships
Source: https://theconversation.com/
Sibling relationships are among the longest-lasting connections in our lives, with half of Canadians and about 80% of people globally having at least one sibling. These relationships are unique because siblings often grow up together, sharing family history and genetics. Studies show that the quality of sibling relationships in young adulthood is a strong predictor of well-being later in life. While these relationships evolve over time and become a matter of choice in adulthood, most remain enduring. Parents play a crucial role in fostering positive sibling dynamics during childhood. Developmental and clinical psychologists emphasize the significant impact siblings can have on personal development, drawing from their own experiences.
Sibling Relationships and Child Development
Siblings play a crucial role in a child’s development by fostering better peer relationships, creative play, empathy, and social skills. Children with siblings often develop these skills earlier and are better equipped to handle stress and parental conflicts. Siblings can influence personality development and provide emotional support, positively impacting a child’s growth.
Sibling Conflicts, Rivalry
Sibling relationships often involve rivalry and conflict, especially during childhood and adolescence. While frequent conflicts can be challenging, they can also help children develop important skills like empathy, perspective-taking, and conflict resolution. However, when rivalry becomes the dominant aspect of the relationship, it can lead to jealousy and resentment, particularly if children feel they are competing for their parents’ attention. Parents can play a crucial role in fostering positive sibling interactions and minimizing destructive competition.
How Parents can Navigate Sibling Conflict
Many children believe their parents have a favorite, even though most parents deny favoritism. Sibling conflict is often exacerbated by perceived unequal treatment, where children feel they are treated differently despite parents’ intentions to be fair. For instance, if one child faces a punishment while another does not for similar behaviors, it can create tension and feelings of unfairness. To minimize conflict, parents should strive for consistency in how they address misbehaviors among siblings.
Another key factor is for parents to recognize the individual strengths of each child and avoid unhealthy competition between siblings. For example, if one child does well in math, and the other does well in science, recognize their individual abilities and accomplishments and avoid comparing one sibling’s strength with the other’s weakness.
Promoting Positive Sibling Relationships
There are science-backed ways parents can promote positive sibling relationships.
- Encourage positive engagement: Choose activities and interests that all siblings can enjoy together.
- Identify what’s going well: Recognize when siblings support, co-operate and help each other.
- Engage in shared experiences: Highlight each sibling’s unique strengths during activities that require teamwork.
- Regulate emotions: Help children identify and process their emotions during difficult times.
- Facilitate social and emotional understanding: Teach children about how to share their own feelings and understand and respect feelings of siblings.
- Manage undesirable behaviours: Address negative behaviours like bossiness towards siblings.
- Help children learn to consider the actions of their siblings, without assuming these actions are directed at them: It is important for children to understand that accidents happen and their siblings often do not have malicious intent toward them. For example, a parent might see a sibling accidentally knock over the toy tower.
- Manage conflict: Parents can mediate conflict between children to help resolve situations fairly.
- Examine parental differential treatment: Talk with children about instances when they feel they are being treated unfairly. Ask them to explain why they think something is “not fair” and discuss it together.
By implementing these strategies, parents can help build strong, positive and supporting relationships between siblings, which can support their well-being throughout their lifetimes.
Read More: https://childreninfobank.com/safebank/how-parents-can-promote-positive-sibling-relationships/
Image Source: https://theconversation.com/
