I Scream I Scream
I’m really in need of earplugs. The two little monsters are driving me up the wall with their high pitch shrills and screams as they competitively battle each other in the ” Who is louder… get more attention” and the ” I am louder and I should get my way”competitions which run concurrently.
“DADAAAAAAAAAAA!!” screams Roy as he tries to snatch the shape sorter back from Ryan.
” Nooooooooooooo!!” Ryan retaliates and prevents him for taking it. ” My turn to play!”
“Wahhhhhhhhh!” Roy bursts out crying trying to win his way through tears and asking for empathy.
A common sight in your household too? How do you deal with the kids when this happens?
I try to mediate between the two of them without compromising on either one of them. It is really hard to distinguish who should give way and which boy started the “match”. As there is a delicate balance between forcing one of them to compromise even though he may not be in the “wrong” and teaching him to be generous and understanding towards his brother. I do not want them (especially the elder boy) to grow spiteful towards the other sibling and use manipulation to get his own way if I make a wrong judgement to who started the rift.
If the elder boy is in the wrong I will make him apologize to his younger brother and return the toy to him. At the same time get Roy to acknowledge his actions and “thank” his brother for giving him back the toy. I believe in reasoning and modeling good behaviour is the easiest way for them to learn at this age.
It is really tiring getting them to learn to share and play cooperatively. I’m trying very hard to keep cool while giving both parties the benefit of the doubt. No one said that parenting would be easy and sibling rivalry and manipulation can start since they are babies. Nevertheless I am still persisting and giving my best in educating them and enjoying the rare moments when I do see them playing together in peace.
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