Teaching Siblings To Get Along

Sibling rivalry may be as old as the Biblical story of Cain and Abel. Fortunately, most conflicts between siblings don’t lead to the same tragic result, but they can be distressing to parents and children alike. To keep the peace in your household, follow this advice:

• Start early. Involve the older child before the younger brother or sister comes along. Talk about how life develops in a mother’s body, discuss what changes the family should expect, and reassure the child of his or her parents’ love.

• Pay attention. Many struggles between siblings arise because one of the children feels neglect­ed and wants his or her share of attention. Do your best to devote some special time to each child so he or she doesn’t feel less important or unloved. Avoid any behavior that might appear to favor one child over the other.

• Don’t compare children. Holding up one child as an example to the other can spark resentment and jealousy. Don’t expect them to become mirror images of each other. Appreciate each child on his or her own merits, and respect your kids’ individuality.

• Teach children to settle their own conflicts. If you impose a solution, or drop everything to mediate a conflict, chances are good that no one will be happy. Talk to children about how they can solve the problem on their own—by asking politely, taking turns, seeing things from the sibling’s point of view, and so forth. If you must get involved, try not to take sides; help the children negotiate their own solution.

• Hold family meetings. Bring everyone together once a week to discuss issues and explore solutions. Most of the time children just want to be heard. Give them a chance to speak and respond, and work together to resolve differences and disagreements.

Returning to work after maternity leave or even several years away from the workplace typically means having to find childcare.  With so many different options to choose from, however, just what can parents do to ensure that their chosen childcare provider can offer good-quality care facilities and guarantee their child’s safety?  Here are a few tips to bear in mind when investigating your options.

• Check with the day care centers to ensure that they can fit in with your planned working hours and offer some degree of flexibility if, for example, you are running late.
• Consider what kinds of qualities would fit your child’s personality
• Talk to friends and family members about their childcare providers and always aim to get personal recommendations for any options that you consider.
• Always visit the nurseries, day care centers or child care centers that you are considering, to get a feel for the atmosphere and routine.
• Check the indoor and outdoor space available to the children, to make sure that it is adequate and safe.
• Check out the facilities and the equipment provided for the children, to ensure that these meet high standards.
• Find out the types of activities the facility offers.
• Ask about the safety and security procedures and precautions.
• Ask to see the childcare provider’s formal inspection reports.

The backyard is somewhere where quality time with the family can be spent all year round, but accidents can take place anywhere and it is important to make sure that you have taken all possible safety precautions to make sure the backyard remains a safe area for relaxation and play.

When it comes to your lawn, you should remove tree stumps and get rid of concrete footings so as to cut down the chances of people tripping over. When cutting the lawn, debris such as rocks can turn into flying projectiles so the yard needs to be cleared. If you have children and any potentially hazardous tools or chemicals they need to be stored well out of their reach in a locked garage or shed.

Fencing is important too, serving to protect children from outside dangers and keep toddlers away from ponds, hot tubs, swimming pools or away from strangers and traffic. Fences can also help to protect your pets by keeping other animals away and making sure that they remain in their own yard.

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