· Children are born with different temperaments and personalities. Every personality has its rough edges. Sometimes the rough edges of one child scratch the edges of another.
· Every child thinks he deserves more of the parents’ attention. A child who thinks brother or sister is getting more time, attention, or favor is likely to feel jealous. He may say or do something to his sibling that reflects that jealousy.
· No child likes to be put down by a brother or sister. When this occurs, the one put down usually fights back either verbally or physically (or both).
· The overall atmosphere of the home has much to do with how much rivalry and conflict is present. If parents model competitiveness and jealousy, and handle such inappropriately, the children will likely do the same.
· Birth order makes a difference…more on that later.
Recognize that a certain amount of conflict between siblings is normal and, more often than not, poor parenting is not the cause. Sometimes, however, it becomes excessive. In those cases, what’s a parent to do? That’s another article.
Linda Morgan; Parish Nanny