Foster a Positive Sibling Relationship (If Applicable)

Ever feel like you’re less of a parent and more of a United Nations peacekeeper, minus the fancy blazer? If your kids treat sharing toys like a hostage negotiation and you’ve Googled 'how to mediate a crayon standoff,' this chapter’s your new survival kit. Spoiler: it doesn’t involve duct-taping anyone to a chair (tempting, but no).

Kids who learn to resolve conflicts and support each other actually build stronger brains—think: more emotional intelligence, better impulse control, and a bigger toolkit for handling life’s curveballs. For parents, guiding this chaos means less stress (eventually), warmer family vibes, and the sweet, sweet sound of siblings actually playing together without a referee.

How to do it

  1. Take a deep breath before getting involved in sibling drama. Seriously—oxygen is your friend.

  2. Narrate what you observe. For example, say, "I see two kids who both want the same dinosaur."

  3. Invite each child to share what happened, using their own words (even if it’s mostly grunts).

  4. Guide them to brainstorm possible solutions. Encourage creativity—bonus points for silly options, like "take turns wearing the dino as a hat."

  5. Celebrate when they reach a truce, even if it’s only temporary.

  6. Repeat the process as needed. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is sibling harmony.

Key Tips:

  • Stay calm and neutral; your tone sets the stage.
  • Focus on problem-solving rather than assigning blame.
  • Encourage empathy by having each child listen to the other.
  • Keep expectations realistic—progress takes time.
  • Use humor to diffuse tension when appropriate.

When you hear the first shout or squabble of the day.

Pause and ask each child to name one thing they like about their sibling.
Do a dramatic high-five with both kids and say, 'Sibling power!'
Post a silly 'family peace treaty' on the fridge with crayons and stickers.

Whenever two kids are both trying to talk at once.

Hand them the talking stick and say, 'Only the stick-holder talks!'
Give yourself a wink in the nearest reflective surface for surviving another round.
Put a 'talking stick' (or any random object) in a visible spot for conflict talks.

When you catch one sibling helping another (even if it’s tiny).

Let them pull a slip from the jar and do the action together.
Announce, 'Teamwork makes the dream work!' and do a silly dance.
Create a 'helping jar' with slips of paper listing little ways siblings can help each other.