Sibling Rivalry Solutions - for Elementary Schoolers

While children in elementary school aren’t generally as threatened by the announcement of a family addition, proper preparation can go a long way toward a smooth transition to one larger, happy family. First, remember that children’s reactions will vary, especially after the baby arrives home. It’s not uncommon for even older kids to revert to behaviors you long since thought vanished, such as clinginess and talking baby talk, while some children cope by withdrawing. Be empathetic and keep in mind that all of a sudden your older child feels his place in the family and in your heart has been cast into doubt.

For any parent that has two kids close in age in elementary school, , they know that it can be both wonderful and daunting. One minute they can be the best of friends, playing and keeping each other occupied for hours. The next minute they can be trying to rip each other's hair out because they both want the same thing. However, maneuvering your way through the parenting challenge of having kids close in age can successfully be done!

You don’t have to look any further than the Biblical story of Cain and Abel to know that sibling rivalry is as old as time itself. Jealousy, competition, and fighting between siblings are normal, continue throughout childhood, and are a major stressor for parents. But, just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it can’t be tempered.

As any parent with more than one child knows, sibling rivalry can be a major issue. It is common for kids to have battles among their siblings as they try to establish their own identity and possibly even power position. While you may have the younger child picking fights with the older one or the older child being jealous and starting fights with the younger one, either way, there are ways to deal with sibling rivalry and see successful results.

Twins: Double the giggles and double the grins and double the trouble if you're blessed with twins. Whether the unknown author of the ditty was twice blessed with twins, we'll never know. But parents of twins well know their unique parenting challenges and rewards; furthermore, as they begin elementary school, new challenges present themselves.

Is it possible to live under the same roof and never have sibling rivalry? Most parents would agree it is very normal to have moments of sibling conflict. Why does a rivalry get set up and what is a parent to do about it when they see it surfacing between their own children?