5 Ways to Encourage Sibling Relationships

“Mom, he hit me!”    

“She took my toy!”     

“But he started it!”

Sound familiar?    Most households with kids sound like that at some point. The turbulent sibling relationship is a hot topic wherever brothers and sisters reside. Learning to get along with each other is not only great for the children; it makes life easier on the whole family.  With the extra free time summer break offers, it is an ideal time to work on sibling relationships.

Here are 5 ways to encourage sibling togetherness: 

• Do activities together as a family.  Walk the dog, play board games, ride bikes, go swimming. Family time encourages teamwork and helps children feel like a valued part of the family unit. For competitive games, team the siblings up to play against Mom and Dad, instead of having them play against each other.

• Let the kids be bored together. Get them off the TV and video games, and encourage them to find something to do on their own. Then just leave them alone. Boredom leads to creativity, and siblings can create the most enthralling games when they’re forced to amuse each other.

• Give your children joint chores regularly. Cleaning out the garage, washing the car, or washing and drying the dishes. Cooperation is necessary to get the job done, and the kids will want to get the job done as quickly as possible!

• Take a little trip. When kids are away from their routine and outside their comfort zone, they often let their guards down. Without all the toys, video games and friends home has to offer, siblings can enjoy each other and bond over the shared experience. This is especially true of older kids who may worry what their friends think if they spend time with a younger brother or sister. A simple weekend camping trip can offer prime opportunities for hanging out together, as well as getting the kids away from the technology that can distract them from each other.

• Let them “camp” in each other’s rooms. If your children are younger and have separate rooms, let them hold impromptu slumber parties in each other’s rooms when they don’t have to be up early the next morning. Kids love taking turns dragging their blankets and pillows into other places. Siblings that barely speak to each other during the day may find themselves talking together long into the night. Leave them be and let them talk as long as they want – they’re bonding.

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