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Some parents tell me their kids fight all the time with each other, actually looking for ways to get each other in trouble. Others say the age difference in their children makes it difficult to build unity and enjoy the same activities. When you decide that a really close sibling relationship is your top priority, you will probably see a difference in your children’s behavior within days. Whether your children are toddlers, ‘tweens or teens, or if you have children in all of those stages, focus on each and every activity which older children can do and can teach to their younger siblings. Young children love to learn from older children, especially their own brother or sister. Self confidence, patience and teaching skills are developed by older children who are given the opportunity to include younger siblings in their activities. Set each child up for success by helping to plan small activities which they can easily do together. Keep expectations high and activity times limited to 15 or 20 minutes. Your time and effort will pay off as friendships are made among siblings. Read the full article, Effectively parent by building family unity. Read other articles regarding improving sibling bonds under the Sibling category found in Published Articles.
Diana Boggia has a masters degree in education with licensure in preschool, elementary and special education. She taught children with multiple disabilities for 15 years and has been working with parents (families) with behavioral concerns for more than 23 years. She develops individualized strategies to build self esteem and diminish negative, attention-seeking behaviors for each child to be successful in achieving remarkable results. Throughout her work with parents Diana has developed a program that includes hands-on materials encompassing limit-setting, developing structure with schedules, teaching time management, increasing listening skills and parenting with incentives, rather than threats. These successful strategies have changed the dynamics of many families who were struggling with their child’s behaviors.
