Practical Positive Parenting Advice and Resources
The perfect alternative to store-bought candy bars and granola bars! This healthy no-bake chocolate granola bar recipe is easy enough for kids to make, and irresistible for kids of all ages! Consider making a large batch and freezing individual bars for grab-and-go snacks, or to pack in lunches!…
Sibling relationships can be complicated. Our children spend a lot of time together, and they are bound to get on each other’s nerves from time to time. But… it is important that we help them remember why they like each other. This simple writing prompt can help your children reconnect. There is value in writing these letters for each other, and your children will cherish the letters that they receive from their brothers and sisters! So help them get started today, and take advantage of this free ‘write a letter to my sibling’ printable below.
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At the time of me writing this, it’s February… which means that my kids haven’t had a normal week of school in a very long time. Between illnesses and snow days, my boys have spent a lot of time at home recently. While normally spending more time at home can leave me feeling stressed as I wonder how to reduce the sibling rivalry and fighting that could deplete my energy as a mother… this time it was different. This time something actually amazing happened…
For more on this topic, check out the full Siblings collection
Something interesting always seems to happen when my boys get to spend more time together.
At first, they are at each other constantly. I have to be a referee, a cruise director, and a high caliber mediator on top of all of my normal responsibilities as Mom. My first thought is often that I just need to separate them. I need to sign them up for different activities, or at the very least put them in different rooms. But… just when things start to seem impossible, something magical always happens…
My biggest a-ha moment with this was over the summer. For the first time, I didn’t arrange any childcare, any camps, or any activities for the entire summer. It was just me and my two sons, all day every day. I knew it would be a bit crazy, but I wanted to give us all a break from the normal schedules and give us space to just relax and have some summer fun. We decided to try trading activities for more play time, and the benefits were incredible!
Although, shortly into summer break, I started to worry that I had made a big mistake. How was I supposed to get any work done when the boys were constantly at each other? How was I supposed to take them anywhere fun when they would whine if their brother even looked at them? And how was I supposed to survive months of this without becoming the mom I didn’t want to be? I was desperate to figure out how to reduce their sibling rivalry and fighting!
But sure enough, after about two weeks of a lot of tension, everything shifted!
After a whole school year of being in separate classrooms and being signed up for different activities, they had forgotten how to play together. They had spent so much time apart that they needed to sort things out and reconnect.
It was amazing to see how the fighting virtually stopped, and they started cooperating and entertaining themselves. They became a team again where each of them had ideas to contribute. They started really communicating with each other instead of just snapping at the other person. And they weren’t so competitive anymore as they figured out compromises on their own.
I hadn’t done anything revolutionary to make it happen. I essentially kept my composure as much as I could, and weathered the storm until the sun came out again. We survived two weeks of emotions running high, but it was all totally worthwhile. They found that strong sibling bond again.
The previous summer when we went on vacation, it was not a pleasant experience. The boys had been in childcare three days a week all summer long and were doing their own thing most of the time. This meant that our one week vacation was the time where they were not used to being together and enjoying each other’s company. I spent the entire week frustrated, exhausted, and embarrassed by their behavior… I barely recognized my own kids!
However, the summer where they were together all the time, our vacation went so much more smoothly. There was minimal bickering, and they actually enjoyed doing things together the entire week! It was such a marked change from the year before, and such a relief to be able to genuinely enjoy our time together.
I’ve learned that sometimes you have to weather the storm to see the sunshine.
That it’s okay for your kids to sort things out on their own.
That sometimes it just takes time for them to reconnect.
And most importantly…
My kids need more time together, not less, in order to improve their sibling relationship. They need more time together in order to reduce the sibling rivalry and fighting.
So while it is not an easy process, or even one that is feasible for every family, I would encourage you to give your kids space to simply spend more time with each other on a regular basis. Whether this means that you also try trading activities for more play time at home, or keeping the kids home all summer; that time together is truly good for them!
Once you get through the hard part, you will start to notice that winter breaks, spring breaks, and summer breaks are all much more manageable. Sure, they might need some time to readjust each time. But the more you can give them space to spend time together on a regular basis, the easier your job will be in the long-run!
For more on this topic, check out the full Siblings collection
We hear all the time how important it is to open up the lines of communication. Communication improves relationships with partners, friends, and coworkers; but we can’t forget that it also improves our relationships with our children.
Taking the time to have a genuine conversation with your child can be so much fun and so insightful! It also helps to build up a great family bond, which is why we are offering a few family conversation starters to go a long with each curated collection of content….
Simple DIY crafts are perfect for keeping your kids busy when stuck indoors. Try these 5 fun DIY crafts using chalkboard paper, or turn it into the perfect photo prop!…
When I think about what friendship means to me, I have to reflect back upon this past year and what it has taught me. Our family went through something very difficult! But through it all, we learned a lot. It’s kind of crazy to think that a family emergency taught us so much about friendships, but it did. And now I know exactly what to look for in a friend going forward.
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I remember, in vivid detail, lying on the couch and silently crying after having suffered my second miscarriage. My despair was momentarily halted when my then eighteen-month-old son came over, rubbed my arm, and asked, “Mommy, you okay?” with an imploring look in his eyes. I was surprised by my toddler’s reaction to my outpouring of emotion. And I experienced an unbelievable sense of guilt because my son had seen me in such a state. But at the same time, I realized that I was raising a compassionate child….
Read below for one mom’s tips on helping her child with autism navigate friendship, and fill that autism friendship void in his life.
Since moving to the Seattle area our son has been doing a lot of Medical Research Studies. We don’t do any studies that have us trying new medications, but we do all sorts of studies. From testing new equipment that they hope will be able to diagnose Autism. To studies about how people with Autism use language. Or why one sibling has it and another doesn’t.
We find value in these studies, because oftentimes we get an in-depth report about our son. The results often suggest new ways for helping him. And we get to contribute to the knowledge of the Autism community at large. Our son loves doing these studies because he gets to make lots of money. So other than a bit of time out of our day, it’s a win win for all involved.…
Helping others doesn’t always have to mean grand gestures. It can be about the little things that we do on a more regular basis to help make a difference. Here is a list of 50 simple ways to help others……
