Sibling Rivalry and the lack of cooperation can be quite common in families and can be seen as normal behaviour but that can cause a lot of unnecessary stress to all those concerned.
This is a survival instinct we all have. It is very evident in two and three year olds making sure that the baby, sibling or visiting child does not take over and often the child can become quite jealous or physically rough if they think this is happening but there are ways we can help this.
It is very important that the parents are able to spend one on one time with each child. Having a parent date/outing with each child e.g. once a month can be most beneficial in making the child feel special.
To a large extent older children should be allowed to sort out their own issues with a little bit of intervention from their parents so the parent is not put in the position of taking one child’s side against the other. Consequences can be put in place and these can be made with the child’s involvement.
Helping children to feel good about themselves, about completing tasks and positive reinforcement, rewarding good behaviour and can have a marked improvement in helping to be part of a team.
Involving the child in decision making can make a big difference. Each child is unique and needs to be treated as an individual showing their input is invaluable.