Making sure the kids are getting along is probably one of the biggest challenges you will face as a parent. At times it might feel like breaking up fights is all you do. But if you put in the time and invest in your children’s relationships, it will most definitely pay off. And these 11 incredible strategies will help you improve sibling relationships in your family in no time.
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The Thing About Sibling Relationships
Relationships with siblings account for some of the most enduring relationships a person might experience across a lifetime. But just because something endures, doesn’t mean the journey is always smooth.
Just as you will love your child in the way that only a parent can, you’ll love your sibling(s) in a way that only a fellow sibling can. #NationalSiblingsDay https://t.co/VG8iCiVr3g via @TheMomAtLaw pic.twitter.com/PdD5D7ZvMX
— RealityMoms (@RealityMoms) February 27, 2019
I still remember my younger brother’s face when I smacked him on the back after he refused to play Barbies and Super Heroes with me. It’s just that it was a really fun game I made up, and if he would only play it, then he would see how fun it was and…sorry, I digress.
I could be a bit of a brat sometimes, but I like to think those times were few and far between. For the most part I was a loving big sister. Today, we get along really well, so I must not have been too horrible.
When I look back on those days, I marvel at how my parents managed to foster such solid sibling relationships among us kids. But even though my brothers and I are close today, we bickered and fought with the best of them when we were young.
Is Sibling Conflict Normal?
If you were lucky enough to grow up with a sibling, then you know one universal truth: siblings fight.
In fact, sibling conflict is a normal part of development. What’s more, a healthy amount of conflict among siblings can actually be good for them. But even though conflict is normal in sibling relationships, how can you make sure the conflict stays in the healthy zone?
It’s not easy, but it can be done.
Read on to discover the 11 incredible strategies that will help improve the sibling relationships in your family, including the one parenting intervention that could make all the difference!
Read on to discover the one parenting intervention that could make all the difference!
Why are Sibling Relationships Important?
Siblings relationships are a key pillar of the family unit. Where parents and caregivers lean on each other for support, so too, can siblings. If you can find a way to foster a positive relationship with the siblings in your home, you will see the benefits for years to come.
A 2012 study on sibling relationships and their influence on childhood and adolescence found that there are several ways siblings influence one another during their formative years:
- Development: Siblings act as role models, social partners, and opponents – all impacting the child’s social, cognitive, and emotional development.
- Friendship: Our brothers and sisters give us a chance to figure out what we should value in others and how to nourish quality friendships.
- Support: Close, supportive siblings can serve as a built-in support system for life’s more difficult experiences.
- Personality: Founder of Individual Psychology, Alfred Adler, believed that family dynamics and sibling relationship psychology were heavily influenced by sibling interaction, and this influence helped shape the personalities of the children.
- Emotion regulation: Siblings can help each other learn to regulate their emotions by serving as sparring partners. The safer training ground of home allows kids to get some practice in dealing with things like aggression before they face it in the real world.
- Identity: Siblings tend to emulate (or reject) the behaviors and interests of their brothers and sisters. Sibling relationship psychology and the way they define themselves in relation to their siblings helps in establishing their own identities.
What is Normal Sibling Conflict?
While every family is different, normal conflict between siblings includes interactions that present challenges but no major risk of harm. If feelings, or even bodies, get hurt, but there is opportunity for repair and forgiveness, the siblings will likely learn something from the exchange.
Conflict that Serves a Function
It’s important that as parents we remember that most behaviors our children exhibit serve a function. When your children fight among themselves, there is likely a reason for it.
They may have a good mission – trying to get your attention, attempting to get a need met, hoping to establish closeness – but their method is simply not what you want it to be.
For example, let’s say you hear your 4 year-old daughter start to cry in the next room. You run in to find that her older brother just knocked over her block tower. Before you assume that he’s just being a little jerk, stop and think:
“What is the function of this behavior?”
Maybe he misses you and he knows that when baby sister cries, you come running. Good mission = he loves you. Poor method = he made his sister cry to get to you.
Understanding the function of a behavior will help you honor your child’s mission and also find more effective ways to correct the behavior.
Conflict that Promotes Growth
Under the watchful eye of caregivers, siblings can provide the best social skills training program imaginable. Healthy sibling conflict offers constant growth opportunities. This provides valuable feedback to kids about their social interactions in the safe environment of home.
Sharing is caring #Siblings #familyfun #parenthood pic.twitter.com/f2L7PiMc02
— HayleyGallagher, LPC (@CenteredParent) April 1, 2019
A study published in Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review (2012) on sibling relationships found that sibling conflict occurs at a rate of up to 8 times per hour. The study also found that sibling aggression is quite common: 70% of families reported physical violence between siblings, with over 40% of children reporting they were kicked, bitten, or punched by their siblings over a one year period.
That’s a lot of opportunity for growth!
Conflict that Provides Teachable Moments
While those statistics may be surprising, they highlight just how commonplace sibling conflict is among children. But overall, as long as the interactions don’t devolve into something dangerous, children can benefit from the conflict.
A good friend of mine grew up with two sisters and she dealt with difficult sister relationships during her teen years. She often struggled with how to get along with her sisters. However, when she reflects on those days now, she is keenly aware how her difficult sister relationships helped mold her into who she is today. Being the middle sister developed in her an amazing ability to stay calm and mediate stressful situations.
Normal sibling conflict can include anything that pushes kids to learn how to do the following:
- Use their coping skills
- Learn how to apologize
- Deal with adversity
- Overcome challenges
- Develop closeness with others
- Communicate feelings in tense situations
- Build social skills
thecenteredparent.com
Sibling Relationships: Issues Every Parent Should Keep in Mind
When you consider the sheer emotional intensity of all the sibling exchanges that can occur over the course of a day, it’s clear why siblings have such powerful influence on one another. In order to ensure that siblings don’t take it too far, it’s important to understand what dynamics are at play.
Sibling Rivalry
A certain amount of sibling rivalry comes with the territory, but when taken too far, rivalry between brothers and sisters can be damaging. If parents understand the factors that contribute to sibling rivalry, it may cut down on the severity of its effects. These factors include:
- Playing Favorites: One study found that nearly 70% of parents demonstrate a preference for one child over another. This behavior can influence the way children understand their worth and can lead them to act out against the favored child, or conversely, to internalize negative behavior toward themselves. Additional research suggests that non-favored siblings may experience higher levels of depression, increased antisocial or delinquent behavior, or more substance use.
- Stuck Together: Siblings spend a lot of time in each other’s company. A 1996 Penn State University study found that siblings spend around 33% of their time together. A more recent study found that “children with siblings spend about half of their discretionary time engaged with siblings.” While this can foster a lot of closeness, it can also breed a lot of conflict.
- Birth Order, Total Number of Kids, and Age Gaps: Where you fall in the birth order, how many siblings you have, or how many years are between you can all impact how competitive you are with a sibling.
Birth Order
Psychiatrist Alfred Adler concluded that birth order plays a huge role in personality development. Birth order also impacts sibling relationships psychology. For example, he believed that first-born children, feeling dethroned by their younger siblings, grow into over-achievers. Younger siblings may either model after older ones, or reject their older sibling, living in opposition to them.
thecenteredparent.com
According to a review of 200 birth order studies, there are some typical traits associated with each birth position:
- Oldest: First-borns tend to be high-achievers, intelligent, stressed-out, and dominant.
- Middle: Middle children can be peace-keepers, loners, well-behaved, wallflowers, and team players.
- Youngest: Youngest kids tend to be rebellious, creative, outgoing, risk-takers, and open-minded.
- Only: Only children can be great entertainers of themselves and others. Like first-borns, only children tend to be intelligent, high-achievers. But they also seem to need that achievement more. They also tend to be selfish and exhibit more behavioral issues.
Family Composition
Like birth order, the composition of a family can impact how siblings interact. Family composition influences sibling relationships psychology as well.
- Age and Gender: Age gaps and gender composition play a role in how well siblings get along. For example, two girls who are only two years apart may experience more rivalry than two sisters who are ten years apart. Additionally, same-gender sibs tend to be more competitive than other-gender siblings.
- Single Parent Households: Single parents may face more sibling rivalry due to the fact that there is not enough mom, dad, or caregiver to go around. Having to share one parent’s attention can lead to desperate tactics.
- Blended Families: Blended families may experience a different set of challenges in that not everyone had the same upbringing. Differences in parenting, sudden increase in number of kids under one roof, and opposing family values can cause problems for step siblings.
- LGBTQI2-S Youth: For families with children who identify as LGBTQI2-S, research indicates that “sexual minority youth relative to heterosexual peers and siblings report less secure attachment to their mothers and their mothers report less affection for them.” This disparity is a problem because LGBTQI2-S youth with insecure attachment may have a harder time dealing with stressors, especially if they feel their parents are only accessible to their siblings. On the other hand, LGBTQI2-S children who are rejected by their parents may find solace and support in their siblings. One case study found that siblings offered crucial support for kids during the coming-out process, which aided in self-acceptance.
It’s #NationalSiblingsDay http://t.co/DqGa0amCEf What being an oldest, middle, or youngest child says about you pic.twitter.com/CAxsGC5cye
— Yahoo (@Yahoo) April 10, 2015
The Impact of Life Events on Sibling Relationships
As children develop, their changing needs dictate the manner in which they interact with their family members. Evolving family dynamics play a huge role in how successfully siblings negotiate conflict. For example, children who experience physical abuse may model aggressive behavior when they fight.
Other dynamics that impact sibling conflict include the following:
- Divorce – Children of divorced parents may turn to their siblings for support. But if they witnessed high amounts of parental conflict, research indicates that they may deal with long-term sibling hostility as well. On the plus side, however, studies show the more siblings you have, the less likely it is that you will go through a divorce as an adult.
- Trauma, Abuse and Neglect – Children who are neglected, abused, or witness to domestic violence, may be at greater risk to mistreat their siblings. In fact, there is an unfortunate correlation between child neglect and sibling abuse. When children are frequently left alone and an older sibling is left in charge, this can strain sibling relationships. Additionally, when children are victims of abuse, they are more likely to be abusive toward one another.
- Sibling with Special Needs – Siblings of a special needs child may experience the joys of caring for their sibling in ways typical kids will not. However, they may deal with their own struggles if they are the target of any problematic behaviors. Additionally, siblings can mimic negative behavior from their special needs brother or sister. In my work with families, I had a number of parents tell me that their youngest was following in the footsteps of the child with behavioral issues. Whether it be aggression, anxiety, or a physical condition, siblings will sometimes adopt the behavior of the child with special needs. They inadvertently learn that emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms earn more attention from caregivers and so, they act accordingly.
- Out of Home Placements: When children are removed from the care of their loved ones, they face trauma, loss, and feelings of abandonment. Siblings placed in foster care may deal with it through any number of ways. They may fuse together and become inseparable in an effort to feel secure, or they may express their anger toward one another, leading to violent or unsafe interactions. Additionally, if kids are separated when they are put in care, this can have harmful effects on their once constant sibling relationships.
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Parenting Tools for Raising Siblings
Now that you have a better understanding of how things like birth order, gender identity, trauma, and parenting styles can impact sibling relationships, the next step is figuring out how to apply that knowledge when raising siblings.
In addition to the 11 strategies below, these tools are an excellent place to start.
If you are having trouble managing sibling conflict, keeping sibling rivalry at bay, or if you just want to strengthen the sibling bonds in your family, these tools can definitely help. I have used them in family therapy and I highly recommend them!
1. The Peaceful Parent Series by Dr. Laura Markham
These two books, Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids, and Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings, are excellent companion books to help you implement a successful parenting approach with your kids. Both books have a strong focus on parent mental health and emotion regulation. Dr. Markham’s techniques will help you foster lasting emotional connection with your kids to impact positive change. Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings has a particular focus on strategies that encourage sibling bonding, relationship skills, and the reduction of sibling rivalry. Get both books on Amazon here.
2. Siblings: You’re Stuck with Each Other, So Stick Together (A Laugh & Learn® Book) by James J. Crist Ph.D. and Elizabeth Verdick
This amazing book is geared toward kids ages 8-13 (or grade levels 5-8), but it’s so much fun, kids of all reading levels would enjoy it. Packed with colorful illustrations and light-hearted information, this workbook helps kids learn to manage all kinds of sibling challenges. Things like how to cope with a new baby, siblings with special needs, and step-siblings are all covered in this excellent book. Siblings is great for parents to share with their kids, but it’s also a perfect book for family therapists. Get it on Amazon here.
3. I Am a Big Brother by Caroline Jayne Church
This book provides little ones with a sweet introduction to the challenging world of becoming a sibling. I Am a Big Brother, and really any other book from fantastic children’s author Caroline Jayne Church, offers educational opportunities for kids. She has written several books just for kids on what it’s like to be a sibling. Get them here on Amazon.
Sibling Fights: When to Worry
Parents generally know when a sibling fight goes too far, but how do you get the fights to stop? When is it time to call for reinforcements?
Caregivers and parents are often instructed to let siblings resolve their differences whenever possible. However, when sibling issues consistently impact daily functioning, it may mean that more attention is required.
Here are some warning signs that things are getting dangerous:
- Fights happen across all settings- Siblings fight constantly, intensely, and for long periods of time. Additionally, the fights happen in the home, school and community.
- Mental health is impacted- Conflict between siblings seems to cause, or exacerbate, issues like anxiety, depression, or aggression.
- You’re worried about sibling abuse- A small amount of playfulness, mocking, or aggression between siblings is OK and can be dealt with to prevent escalation. However, when siblings bully each other (constant, mean-spirited teasing that takes an emotional toll), attack each other (kicking, biting, punching, or harming with weapons), or violate physical boundaries in other ways (sexual assault), it is considered sibling abuse. Caregivers should seek immediate help to deal with suspected abuse among siblings.
- Estrangement- When a conflict becomes so intense it results in a complete end to the relationship, it is cause for concern. Estrangement between siblings is not very common in children, but when it occurs, it’s up to parents and caregivers to do something about it.
11 Incredible Strategies to Improve Sibling Relationships
By promoting the right family structure, activities, and routines that combine healthy boundaries and fun bonding opportunities, you will not only prevent conflict from escalating, but increase closeness in the process. Before you know it, your kids will be begging to spend more time together!
These 11 incredible strategies will improve the sibling relationships in your family in no time. Read on to find out how to get siblings to get along.
1. Assess Sibling Conflict to Manage it Effectively
When your kids have a squabble, quickly determine the level of severity. For mild to moderate conflict, stay out of it. Give your kids the chance to resolve their dispute on their own. But, if the fight approaches greater severity, it may be time to step in. For more on how to navigate sibling battles, check out Siblings Without Rivalry on Amazon, from parenting experts Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.
2. Promote Sibling Bonding Time
Siblings do not always want to spend time together by nature. It’s up to parents to instill this connection and set the tone. Set aside a weeknight that is just for the kids. Make it something special, no parents allowed. (Or if you’re worried, maybe parents sit within earshot) Start a fun tradition like a kids-only movie night, sibling scavenger hunt, or a play that they write and perform for the rest of the family.
You can also do a little bit of what the mental health field calls psychoeducation. Through the use of bibliotherapy (therapy via books), you can teach your kids about sibling conflict and how to get along with their sister, brother, or sibling. There are some truly excellent children’s books out there that do a great job of dealing with sibling relationships and sibling rivalry.
Using Books to Foster Sibling Relationships
Promoting reading in your family is a great way to teach your kids about life and relationships. Delightful stories like the books above can help foster sibling bonding in your home. You can do that to teach other skills as well. There are children’s books for every kind of life lesson.
BEST BOOKS ABOUT SIBLING BONDING
Below are four of my top picks for children’s books that focus on sibling bonding. Get them on Amazon by clicking below.
A lovely children’s story about Maple and Willow, two sisters who do everything together. But just because they love each other, doesn’t mean they always get along. Your kids will love this tale about how to deal with conflict in their relationships with siblings.
A super sweet tale about two twins, their special sibling bond, and the amazing adventures they make with their blankets!
by Becky Cattie, Tara Luebbe, and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
A brilliant book about a famously adorable child who must learn how to adjust when her little sister shows up to steal her spotlight.
by Martin Waddell and Patrick Benson
An adorable story of how three owl baby siblings that stick together when they discover their mama is nowhere to be found.
Keep reading for more fun sibling bonding ideas near the end of this post.
3. Prioritize Quality One-On-One Time
Designate regular, special time to spend with each of your children individually. It may seem counter-intuitive to sibling bonding, but when you give each child some special time set aside just for them, it actually creates more space for healthy interaction between siblings. They don’t have as much need for rivalry and competition when they get their fill of your attention. You might be surprised how well your kids respect each other’s one-on-one parent time, even when it’s not their turn.
To read more on this, check out this post from Aha Parenting on how to implement Special Time.
4. Enforce Equitable (But Not Equal) Rules
Growing up, I would have sworn the phrase “Life’s Not Fair” was my mother’s mantra. I hated it as a kid, but as an adult I discovered that, as with most things, my mother was right. Making things fair and equal doesn’t always hit the target in the right way. Treating your kids exactly the same may actually do more harm than good. They may get identical treatment, but they probably won’t get what they need.
Every kid is different, and every developmental phase brings with it a different set of needs. Tailor rules, consequences, and expectations to meet the needs of each child as an individual. That way you can set your children up for success, and ensure that they learn from the given consequences.
For example, you may require that your 17 year-old daughter does her own laundry as part of her chore responsibilities. But you may only ask your 9 year-old daughter to put her laundry in the hamper.
5. Remember Everyone Has a Role in It
It’s important that you bear in mind that every child has a role in any negative interaction. Just because a 5 year-old is younger than his 10 year-old sister who just screamed at him, doesn’t mean that 5 year-old is 100% innocent.
I’ve seen it happen loads of times – distracted parent punishes the older child because “they should know better” and lets the younger one off the hook. But in my experience, I have seen interactions play out where the younger child intentionally badgers the older sibling until they react. It’s pretty funny to watch the young mastermind at work.
Humor and adorableness aside, if this pattern is left uncorrected, it could morph into something worse. Although it can be difficult to catch every child in the act, do your best to monitor these interactions and remember everyone has a role in the conflict (including you).
6. Set Healthy Boundaries
Make it clear from an early age what the physical, social, and emotional boundaries are between your children. When it comes to teasing and negative interactions, intervene immediately the very first time they take it too far. That way, kids know where you draw the line.
Everyone deserves safe, personal space – both physically and emotionally. Use separation when it’s clear that the kids are no longer in control of their own actions.
Offer up actual physical spaces for each child, designate section-off space that is their own special domain. We purchased small teepee tents like this one from Amazon for some of our families who live in tighter quarters. It does wonders for encouraging healthy boundaries and kids love it!
7. Make Teamwork the Dreamwork
Whenever possible, put your children on a team together. Even if it means you have to play on a team alone, pitting kids versus parents usually promotes healthy connection between siblings. In family therapy, we often use the Beat the Parents Game in family sessions because of the way it encourages sibling connection. Get the Beat the Parents board game from Amazon here.
8. Teach Negotiation for Win-Win Solutions
Start by honoring the dispute. When parents dismiss the significance of what the kids are fighting over, it only pushes children to dig in, escalate, or maximize their position.
In order to defuse the situation, validate what they are upset about. This will help them move forward. During this modeling process, keep in mind that every behavior has a root cause, even if the child is not aware of it. By helping kids share and communicate what upset them in the first place, you help them figure out how to get to the heart of the matter more quickly. This also teaches them empathy. Once they are able to see their brother or sister’s perspective, they are better prepared to offer up win-win solutions.
Support your kids in choosing creative ways to make sure everyone gets an answer to their problem. For example, if your son and daughter are fighting over who gets to hold the remote, introduce a timer and let each of them have control of the TV remote for a specified amount of time.
9. Don’t Play Favorites
Research shows that most parents have a favorite, but do your best not to show it. The more you refrain from favoritism, the more security your children will enjoy. Also, steer clear of the temptation to draw comparisons between your kids. Asking your son, “Why can’t you sit still and be quiet like your sister?” might not help him improve his behavior, but you can guarantee he will grow to resent his sister.
Be clear and direct when addressing unwanted behaviors and sibling conflict, and try not to take sides. To promote a good relationship with siblings, it’s important that your kids don’t feel they are treated differently. It won’t take long for resentment to poison the sibling relationship well.
A powerful technique from Positive Discipline suggests that you “Put Your Children in the Same Boat“. When you come across a sibling fight and you feel you must step in, respond by offering both children a suggestion. For example, without becoming the judge and jury about whose fault it was, offer a solution by saying something like, “Would you both like to take some time in your cool down spaces?” or, “How about you each play independently for a little while so you have a chance to calm down?” Then when they are calm, bring them back together for some conflict resolution.
These suggestions do a few things: one, they avoid a power struggle where you are taking sides, two, they model a helpful way to defuse conflict, and three, they avoid blame and prevent sibling rivalry.
10. Keep Calm and Carry On
When kids start to argue, things can escalate quickly. Their young brains are not equipped to manage intense emotions. They often they lose their cool faster than makes sense to us parents. That is why it’s of paramount importance that we don’t add to the conflict with our own frustration. Before you step onto battlefield, remember to do one thing:
Find your center.
Take a second to assess the situation, gather your thoughts, and take as many deep breaths as you need. Just take a quick 30 seconds to quiet your mind and construct your plan of attack. Staying calm will increase the chances that you will be able to deescalate the fight and effectively manage the conflict.
Check out this article for more on how to help your child manage meltdowns. And if you want to find your center, even in the face of those tantrum behaviors, sign up here to receive our free self-care checklist for parents.
11. Make Them Join Forces – Even During Discord
A therapist parent I know once told me that his most effective parenting strategy was to make his kids work together during a fight. Whenever his son and daughter would come running, up in arms and ready to tattle on the other, shouting out some version of how their sibling did them wrong. Inevitably, their own version portrayed them in the best light possible.
The One Parenting Intervention that Could Make All the Difference
This therapist/parent would ignore their arguing and give them one simple task:
“Go away and don’t come back until you both agree on what happened.”
The idea was this: if they couldn’t come up with the same account for what happened (or who was the more responsible party) then they would both receive a consequence.
The strategy not only encouraged them to work together, but it exonerated the parent from having to play detective.
At the end of the day, it didn’t matter to him whether they presented an accurate account of their fight. After all, he wasn’t there to see it and would never know for sure what really happened. The key of his intervention was to motivate his children to work together and agree on something.
What he found was that they tended to tell the truth even if it meant one of them would receive a consequence. (He tested the accuracy of their story by spying on them – deceptive, I know!) Time and again, his kids would come back to him, one agreed-upon story in tow, ready to face the music.
This strategy fosters cooperation. Kids think, “We’re in this together, we might as well make the most of it.” They learn to “take one for the team” and ultimately resolve their differences without parental intervention. And after all, isn’t that what we want to begin with?
Sibling Bonding Activities
There are so many fun ways to promote sibling bonding that can foster a positive relationship with siblings and help get siblings to get along better. The sibling bonding activities below are easy to do and your kids love them! This list includes some of my favorite activities to do with siblings that are focused on how to help siblings get along.
NOTE: Some of these sibling bonding activities can be used for therapy sessions and make excellent sibling therapy activities.
1. Sibling Movie Night
Who doesn’t love a good family movie night? Give your kids something special and let them have a sibling night at the movies, just for them. Set up a special movie experience, complete with popcorn, comfy seating, and the “screening room” to themselves.
To avoid fights about picking the movie, pick one out of a hat, or schedule multiple movie nights so everyone gets a turn to pick. 🙂
To make it even more fun, you can do a theme night. Set up a Disney double feature with delightful decorations. Let them dress up as their favorite Marvel superhero. Or just let the Force be with them and have a whole day of Star Wars.
Whatever you decide, your kids will love it.
Also, quick side note, if you don’t have Prime or Prime Video and access to countless movies for kids and family, you can sign up for a free trial here:
2. Family Collage Art
Give your kids a bunch of old magazines and a big piece of poster board and set them to the task of creating the world’s best collage! Suggest a theme like ‘Why Our Family is the Best’ or ‘What Makes Having a Sibling So Fun’ After they are done, offer to hang their masterpiece on the wall.
3. Scavenger Hunt Around the House
Set up a scavenger hunt with household items for your kids. Put them on a team so they must work together to find a list of household objects that you previously hid around the house. Be sure to account for age differences in your kids to allow them all to have some success with finding the items. You could even assign an older child to help a younger one find some items to ensure they are working together.
Check out our Rainy Day Scavenger Hunt Freebie to get started!
4. Sibling Board Game Night
Set up a special family game night that’s just for the kids. While the idea of board games is probably enough to entice your kiddos to the table, you can make it extra special by making fun snacks and decorating the gaming space. If the kids are playing cooperative games, which I highly recommend for sibling bonding activities, surprise them with some prizes at the end of each game. You could even make up silly awards to give to all of them, like the ‘Most Encouraging Gamers Award’ or the ‘Best Teamwork Ever Award’.
Check out our post on the best board games for families to get your kids something new and exciting for their game night.
Other Sibling Relationship Resources
For more strategies to support healthy sibling relationships, try these fantastic resources:
Sibling Relationship Articles
- 5 expert-backed tips for creating emotionally healthy sibling relationships from Motherly
- How to encourage good sibling relationships from Verywell Family
- How to foster positive sibling relationships from PBS Kids
Additional Sibling Conflict Support
If you are experiencing sibling issues that have you worried, it might be time to reach out for help. Try some of the resources below to get the support you need:
- Goodtherapy.org – With their huge database of quality therapists and counselors, Goodtherapy.org will help you find trained mental health professionals in your area.
- Child Welfare Information Gateway – The US Department of Human Services Child Welfare Information Gateway lists available national hotlines to meet your family’s needs.
- National Alliance on Mental Health – For more mental health specific concerns, NAMI has loads of resources and a useful support hotline.
