A phrase too common these days!! Every other kid in this world has a sibling that’s a rival when it comes to tiny – none visible issues. Such rivalry starts right from the birth of the second child, irrespective of the year gap that you plan. The roots of this enmity have been traced to every kid’s demand for his mother’s primary attention. There is nothing in this world that a child wants more than his mother’s pampering and attention. It is what drives every toddler to laugh or cry or do anything naughty in a cute way, just to see their mother turn and have a glance at them. In the early years of their lives, such a rivalry is considered innocent and entertaining; however it may become a dangerous terrain later on.
If we look at the dark side of such a rivalry then there are many issues that may crop up
- Your kid starts competing with his sibling in every phase of his life, be it school, college or professional level or personal level.
- The child is never happy with his achievements as all the time his is comparing himself and trying to out-do the other sibling, rather than setting his own goals and working towards them
- Kids tend to develop an insecure feeling and will always want to outshine others in every way.
Some tips to deal with sibling rivalry include:
- DEVELOP LOVE AND BROTHERHOOD BEFORE BIRTH
Get your elder kid familiar with the baby before he or she is born. Show the older child pictures of growth stages of a baby. Small things like letting your child feel your belly and making him talk to the little one or feel it kick can actually develop an extremely loving and emotional connection between the two.
- MAKE THE GROWN-UP SIBLING FEEL EMINENT
It is often noticed that a number of visitors often carry a gift for the older sibling as well, when they come to visit the baby. This is a very sensible thing to so. Letting your elder one take charge and allowing her to open the gifts makes her feel she is just as important to you. Give your kid a job in the family group.
- TIME SHARE
What bothers kids most is partaking you with the new born. Try to distribute time intelligently by wearing a baby sling so your hands are free for the elder one to hold or play. You can also get your elder one more and more involved in the activities and time that you spend with the infant.
- DWELL IN THE POSITIVE
Promoting sibling accord requires a bit of parental selling. The concentration your child seems to have lost from the mother can be effectively replaced with more time spent with his father. Make plans for a lot of one-on-one excursions for your elder kid, such as time at the playground and the ice cream shop, so the kid gains exceptional time with his grandparents, father, or other caregivers.
- START THE DAY IN PEACE
Try and begin your day in complete peace by giving a lot of time and attention to the elder sibling. Devote mornings to intensive care with your elder baby. This will effectively remove any ill feelings in his heart for the infant and is an excellent venture in the rest of the day.
You must realize that sibling rivalry cannot be avoided. You will have to phase it at some point of your life if you have more than one kid. Without regret one concludes that it is one of the most beautiful parts of nurturing your kids and should be taken in the right way so that correct path is chosen for your future and theirs as well. There are two sides to any coin; it is ultimately you who decides on which side you want your little ones to be.
