Siblings are going to fight.
Theyre going to poke at each other on long (or short) car rides.
Theyre going to push to be the first one out the door.
Theyre going to wrestle for control of the TV remote.
But typical sibling rivalry or squabbles can morph into full-fledged bullyingand thats not normalorokay.
Rivalry vs. bullying
Rivalry between siblings, at least at some point, is inevitable.
They are sharing space, parents, pets, toys and electronics.
A sense of competition in at least one area of their lives is normal and expected.
These include a power imbalance, intentional actions, and repetitive behaviors.
The bullying may be physical or it may be mental and emotional with relentless insults and name-calling.
If both kids are upset and engaged in the disagreement, its probably a regular sibling fight.
Neither of these approaches feels possible to the typical victim child.
Very Well Familysuggests a 7-step process to eliminate bullying at home:
1.
Intervene immediately for aggressive behavior.
That goes for physically aggressive behaviorandaggressively mean language, such as name-calling.
That could range from an apology to loss of privileges, depending on the circumstances.
Defuse jealousy.Each child should receive the same amount of attention, love and acceptance.
Avoid comparisons like the plague that they are.
Prevent future incidents.Once youve addressed the bullying, it may endor it may not.
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