I grew up the oldest of four children: two girls and two boys. We all got along great. We were different from one another and had our own talents and interests, yet we also loved hanging out together, playing card games, jumping on the trampoline, watching movies and enjoying many other activities.
One of my fondest memories was a family trip to Williamsburg, VA. During our visit we went to
My sister, brothers and I had so few squabbles growing up that I couldn’t have imagined back then that one day I might have children who wouldn’t always get along as well as we did. Fast forward 30 years. Now I’m a mom who has lived through raising girls who have frequently been at odds - parenting my children through the challenges of sibling rivalry. I’ve often wondered where I went wrong, and why they don’t enjoy and appreciate each other, and what I could have done to help them overcome some of these struggles.
Through relationships with other parents, I am finally seeing that maybe I didn’t do anything wrong, and that off and on strained sibling relationships and rivalries are normal. However, what I have learned is that there are some things that might have helped me nurture these relationships in a more positive way.
For the past couple of years I’ve been volunteering as a mentor mom with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers). At a recent MOPS gathering, the mentor moms sat up front and gave advice on some tough questions, including one dealing with sibling rivalry. With the benefit of hindsight now that my girls are mostly grown, I decided to tackle this question, and would like to share some strategies that I would use if I had it to do again.
While I wish I had known and utilized some of these strategies to lessen the stressed times and accentuate the good times while my girls were growing up, I am confident that my girls’ love for each other is deep and that they would support each other whenever needed.
If you are considering transitioning your child from a public school or homeschool setting to private Christian school, you know that these changes may be stressful for your child. We want to help you think through the transition and make it as smooth as possible for your family members. Register for our webinar to learn tips and advice for a successful transition!