Sibling rivalry is natural and unavoidable, but the ways in which
parents respond to arguments can make a real difference to children's
learning. Kay Mathieson offers some advice.

questionA couple of our parents are having a really difficult time with their children constantly bickering. At the moment it isn't a problem in the setting, but the parents are worried that home behaviours will spill over to the setting. Do siblings always have to fight and squabble or is it the way in which parents respond that makes it more likely?

answerThe old adage 'you can choose your friends but not your family' combined with 'life's not fair' and the human competitive drive sums up the essence of sibling rivalry. The family, however it is made up, is a social group into which the children are born and have no choice. Therefore, this is the group in which much of their social learning takes place. It is an unusually intense and evolving context.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

  • Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month

  • Unlimited access to news and opinion

  • Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here