Tag Archives: sibling rivalry

Have a New Baby on the Way?

A year is a long time for a child whether they are 2, 4 or 6 years old. My daughter is always asking when we will give her a baby brother or a baby sister. When my sister-in-law was pregnant, my daughter would ask every day when would the baby get out of her tummy and we told her that the baby comes when the baby is ready. When you have an older child or children and you are expecting a new arrival, they cannot truly understand how a new baby will affect their lives. How can they? For most … Continue reading →

Surviving the festive season

Ever noticed how your adult siblings and your parents suddenly revert to patterns of yesteryear once they are all gathered in the one room for an extended period of time? Or perhaps it’s you who regresses to that little child of years ago. Christmas time is a time famous for family squabbles, depression, domestic violence, and even suicide. So what’s going on and how can we survive and even enjoy the festive season? It can be a challenge to maintain your sense of adulthood when you are suddenly thrown into the deep end with your family of origin over the … Continue reading →

Taming the Green Monster in Twins

I have recently come to the realization that my former “tried and true” techniques for taming jealousy in my other children have come to fall significantly short. There has always been the expectation that the oldest child is required to be slightly more gracious to a younger sibling simply because they are older and are capable of understanding more complex directions. However, Emily’s seventeen minutes of seniority over her sister have no effect on her ability to understand more complex directions. So, I am left with twin girls who will willingly trample each other to get to the object of … Continue reading →

Helping Siblings Adjust To A New Baby

When I found out I was pregnant with my third child. I cried. My daughter at the time was only ten months old and I was five pounds away from reaching my pre-pregnancy weight. I wanted another child but I had planned on waiting a few years. But by the time my daughter, Kelsey was born, I had adjusted to the idea and loved her fiercely. I was still a little nervous about having another baby though because even at nineteen months Alysta was still so much a baby herself. I have to explain that Alysta was bright but because … Continue reading →

“The Pain and the Great One” by Judy Blume

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Anyone who has sisters or brothers or knows someone who has sisters or brothers is familiar with sibling rivalry. Sibling rivalry constitutes the fighting that goes on between siblings including, but not limited to, jealousy and competition. The siblings in Judy Blume’s “The Pain and the Great One” definitely demonstrate this so-called family tradition. “The Pain and the Great One” tells about an eight-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy who are siblings. In this book, they each tell their side of the story. When describing each other, the little boy calls his older sister The Great One and the girl … Continue reading →

“Brother for Sale.” Helping Kids Cope with their Sibling’s Disability

What would otherwise be normal sibling rivalry is even more complex between a special needs and a typical child. The child without a disability will experience a wide variety of feelings, all of which are perfectly normal and understandable. As parents, there are some ways to help encourage positive relationships between our children, while also recognizing their different emotional needs. Here are some typical emotions that siblings of special needs children may experience: Resentment: Siblings might resent the extra attention, time, and emotional focus that is directed toward the special needs sibling. They may resent it if they are given … Continue reading →