Presentation 5:
SIBLING RIVALRY: how to see it and deal with it

Competition between siblings has occurred since the beginning of time as kids vie for time, attention, love, resources and approval from their parents. It's not new, and the closer kids are in ages the more intense the rivalry.

Many of Shakespeare's plays were tangled around sibling rivalry because it sets an intriguing backdrop of one-upmanship, scheming and deception. What about the sibling rivalry between troublemaker, Bart Simpson and his nerdy sister, Lisa? A few sitcoms have portrayed healthy connections between brothers and sisters in series as; Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, Brothers and Sisters and Parenthood.

Sibling relationships are the longest lasting and most constant intimate relationships formed by human beings - and mostly, they are driven by affection. They last longer than most friendships, through the deaths of parents and beyond many, many marriages. Sharing an extended shared history from early childhood into old age is significant! When the 'sibling relationships' are supported by parents in the early years they are likely to develop stronger self-esteem and feel more able to deal positively with their experiences. They are likely to be more compassionate, tolerant of differences and family connections will be stronger.

Let's talk, share, review and bring together our best management tools because there are a host of simple things we can do to help our kids 'get along' with one another!