Why Is Sibling Rivalry Bad

Sibling rivalry refers to the amount of strain existing in the relationship between siblings. And we are not exactly talking about the small kiddie fights our children tend to have over toys, we are talking about the much more deeper strains and hatred existing between siblings in today's world.

Take a simple and common scene for example. Two little brothers fighting for a toy. The mother notices, interferes and takes the toy away from the older one and gives it to the younger one. She take the older one aside and explains it to him, that since he is older he should let his little brother play. Hearing this, the older brother throws a fit of rage saying that she's being partial. Often such kind of behavior goes unnoticed,ignored or not taken seriously. However the truth is, most of the time big issues among adult siblings start from childhood itself. Haven't you ever heard of siblings fighting over something as lame as property issues? Many a times they tend to cheat each other for money. Often there are two siblings who haven't even seen each other's face or heard each other's voice for years together. Such is the hatred existing among many siblings today.

How far are parents responsible for sibling rivalry? No this is not always the case, but parents do have a lot of influence on how the relationship between two siblings are. The best way to avoid such kind of unhealthy rivalry is by treating both the children equally irrespective of their age or sex. If rules are do be made, both should be following it. If permission is granted for something, it should be granted equally. Children must be taught from childhood about the importance of relationships, and how one must value them. Family trips and bonding among family members should be encouraged. However most of the time, this is not the case. Hence it results in siblings developing hatred for each other.

Isn't it weird how two people who have grown up together and loved each other so much, grow up into the worst enemies ever. Don't let this happen in your family, act today!