Last day of school was just over 1 week ago. This morning I am beginning to wonder when it will start again - not soon enough! Ok, not serious but what do you do when one child does not want their sibling around them?? He wants to be left alone, doesn't want brother around or near him? It is driving me up a wall and I am just not sure how to help them get along better. Younger brother doesn't seem to understand and is hurt by this. He's not touching, talking or doing anything to him, just being in the same room or watching what he is doing. Hmmm. . . I just remembered something I heard another mom did. They had a room where they kept board games and when siblings weren't getting along then she would put them in this room and wouldn't let them come out until she heard them quietly getting along with each other. They would be loud, fighting, etc. at first and she would remind them that the longer they kept up fighting, the longer they would be in there together. I think she may have left them in there for about 1/2 hour of quiet playing nicely together. they were probably upper elementary through teen age. Might not work for a 5 yr. and 8 yr. old. Need advice or it's going to be a LONG summer.

Janell

:lol: :lol: I know where you're coming from my friend! We've been out of school now for almost 3 weeks and the kids are beginning to get on each other's nerves. Today their 10 year old cousin is over and she's going to spend the night tonight. They all really get along very well and love to play on Webkins. Right now they're playing the piano and organ but there's PEACE...PTL :D .

When my kids start fussing they get one warning and if they start fussing again then I make them seperate and clean their rooms...that usually is incentive enough for them to start getting along :D . If it doesn't work then off they have to go to their rooms. If their behavior continues to be bad, it usually doesn't, but if it does then privledges are taken away. We also try to do "fun" stuff a couple of days a week like go swimming at Nana's house, go to a movie or go to the park and play.

Have a great summer!!

P.S. I have to go back to school on 7/30 and the kids have to go back on 8/6....it's getting earlier and earlier every year!

Wow, I can really relate to this!! I read in a magazine some time ago that when this happens to have them clean together. So, the first time it happened I sent them to the bathroom and told them they could go their separate ways when it was clean. It took FOREVER the first time. Then, the more it happened the more they realized if they worked together the trauma of cleaning the bathroom would be over sooner. Last time, I actually heard them laughing in there. Now all I usually have to say when this happens is, "Would you like to clean the bathrooms?" Either they stop fighting or else my bathrooms get an extra cleaning during the week. And since the youngest is potty training, our bathrooms can use that extra cleaning.

Yours might not be old enough for the bathroom, but maybe you can think of another chore..

Great advice! I'm loving this thread ;)
My son is 2 though so making them clean a room together doesn't work to well. And my DD is stubborn so she'll sit in a dirty room all day just to not have to clean it!
LOL

I don't think that there is anything wrong with the older one wanting a little time to himself. He should be able to do stuff on his own without having little brother around all of the time. And little brother is just going to have to learn how to deal with it. Find something fun for him to do by himself -- like play a game on the computer or color some special papers, etc.

My sons are 4 years apart and the youngest always wanted to be with his big brother but that just isn't fair. First, because the younger one can't play with some of the things that big brother can and it's not fair to the older one to just play with "baby" toys all of the time. And second, this is just something that kids need to learn about -- that life isn't always fair and they need to deal with it and move on.

I was just reading some of the post on here. My girls are not in public school yet but go to a preschool at one of the local churches here in town. Emma will join Madyson this year and both are excited. They don't start until Sept 4th. Public school here doesn't start until Aug 24 or 27th. They passed a law and school doesn't start until after the 4th Monday of Aug. Which is nice because it was getting to be sooner and sooner around here. I remember as a kid we got out at the end of May and didn't start back till after Labor day. It is hard to find things for the girls to do sometimes.