Guest Post By Alissa Marquess When my three kids are getting along, helping each other and playing nicely together, I feel a sense of peace. Usually, not long after this, I hear screaming from the
Hitting, it’s the worst! Especially to see your own children hit one another. My girls use to get physical the moment there was any sort of kafuffle. The Old Me would threaten, “You hit your sister again and you won’t be able to go to the park later!” It worked in the very short term, but they always seemed to resort to hitting again.
I could let my son continue to show me his impulse to interfere with his sister and I didn’t have to yell at him or tell him he was a “bad” kid. I knew there was nothing wrong with my son just because he wasn’t feeling connected and his impulse control was impaired. He needed connection first, before he could have good impulse control.
A playful way to resolve sibling conflict can go a long way toward a happy, cooperative family life.
After a weekend together, my husband and I were putting our kids to bed. The lights were out, but my 5-year-old was not settled; he was making a raspberry noise. This annoyed his brother, my
I kept listening to my children because I saw their positive transformation and because we felt closer even though it wasn’t easy to do. I kept listening because I gradually remembered and worked on my childhood and came to think I would have liked it if I had been listened to back then.
I was so sad when they were not getting along and my oldest was hitting and biting, particularly because I had read so many books and was from the beginning practicing attachment parenting and positive discipline.
I wasn’t sure if she would be different after in the days following, but now that a few weeks have passed I can tell you the answer is yes…My frenetic daughter, whom people often would suggest was hyperactive, is now calm and even-keeled. She remains an energetic, highly curious child, but no one would ever use the word hyperactive.
My three-year-old and I had a Special Time during my older son’s piano lesson. When it ended and was time to pick my older son up, my younger son asked if he could get stickers
My older son, who was six, had been constantly on the edge for a few weeks. He let out his feelings by crying on weekends and then go back to school on Monday. His first
Introducing The Great Sumo Play! My most recent fun idea for dissolving sibling struggles between my 6 and 12 year old is (drumroll): Sumo wrestling shirts! We get two of dad’s big t-shirts, stuff the
Often times my son will walk by his siblings and push them down or punch them on their backs or yell in their faces. If they are doing something that irritates him, he will get extremely close and ball up his fists and visibly shake with anger.
Recently in our family we’ve had a new baby. That’s brought all sorts of adjustments, of course, for my son. There are a few “playlistening” ideas that have been helpful, that others may find useful too:
There’s always enough love for you. Whether your sister is sick or healthy, there’s always enough love for you.