Sibling bonds are powerful, and they can also be complex. It’s not uncommon for siblings to grow up feeling like they’re in competition with each other, or even resenting one another. But that’s just not necessary! You can encourage a strong sibling bond in your family with the following tips;
Help kids find shared interests.
The best way to get siblings to bond, is by helping them find a shared interest. This can be anything from a hobby or sport, to a specific type of music or TV show. If you don’t know what their interests are, ask them! And if all else fails and they don’t have any shared interests yet…it’s time for you as the parent/guardian/older sibling to take action!
Remind them they are a team.
A collaboration between two siblings means you have twice the fun and twice the memories. It’s important to remind your children that they are a team, and what better way to reinforce this than by having them practice teamwork in real-life situations?
There are many ways you can help your children learn how to work together. e.g. make it a point to ask questions like “How can we solve this problem together?” or “What do we need from each other in order for this project to be successful?” These are great questions because they force kids to think about their relationship with each other. When kids take time out of their day to think about helping each other, it motivates them and makes them feel like part of something bigger—which can be crucial when life gets tough.
Don’t play favorites.
One of the best things you can do to build a strong sibling bond is to make sure your children feel equal in your eyes. Actively work to ensure that they don’t see you or their relationship with each other as anything but equal.
Don’t play favorites by treating one child better than another. Don’t give one child special treatment or privileges and withhold those same privileges from another child because of their behavior, age, gender, etc.
Let your children resolve their own arguments when possible.
Encourage your children to resolve their own arguments when possible. Doing this will help them learn how to be respectful of each other, independent, assertive and empathetic. If you are worried about them hurting each other physically or verbally during an argument, then step in and offer a compromise or solution. If it’s a simple matter like one child wants the same toy as another child but they don’t want to share, then let them work it out themselves.
Your attitude about and relationship with your partner will affect how your children treat each other.
The relationship you establish with your partner can have a big impact on how your children see and treat their siblings. If you are in a healthy, supportive relationship with your spouse or partner, it will be easier for you to communicate with them about the challenges they’re facing with their brothers and sisters. If you’re not getting along well as a couple, talking about sibling issues may feel more stressful than helpful to everyone involved.
Your attitude about being part of a family also matters when it comes to building strong bonds between siblings. If you feel like an outsider (like if one parent is often at work), then this can make it harder for kids to trust each other because they don’t feel like their family is stable or secure.
By building your children’s relationship with each other, you are helping them develop an important skill that they are going to need throughout their lives: how to treat people who are different from them. This may be the most important thing you can teach your kids about sibling relationships!
