Parenting can get tricky with time. Especially when you have multiple children, it is important to pay attention to the relationship shared by them, so as to ensure that the home is healthy for everyone. It is also the responsibility of the parent to create a healthy, safe and a open space in home to ensure that the children are growing up in a healthy atmosphere, with no hard feelings for the way they are brought-up. In her recent Instagram post, Psychotherapist Emily H Sanders addressed sibling relationships and spoke of the things that should be avoided, and the things that should be encouraged by the parents in order to promote healthy relationships among children. “It’s absolutely your responsibility to create a safe and loving home where healthy relationships have the opportunity to blossom. Nothing ruins sibling relationships like a lack of safety. Competition and favoritism are sure-fire ways to create insecurity and tension,” wrote Emily.
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She further noted down the things that parents should avoid in order to create healthy sibling relationships:
Preferential treatment: Favouritism can affect the child in the worst way possible. It is important for the parents to show preference to all of their children in the similar manner.
Competition: pitting a child against another or using one as an example for the other can create impact in the negative way in the children and affect their relationship.
Caretaking roles: Forcing the children to take up caretaking roles for each other, against their will, is harmful.
Abuse: Abuse can sometimes come from the siblings as well. It is important to intervene in the right time and address the abusive behavior.
Emily further noted down the things that should be encouraged by the parents, as well:
Respect differences: No two children are alike. It is important to celebrate them for their individualism and respect the differences that they have.
Create tasks: Create tasks for the children where they would need to collaborate with each other in fun activities.
Nurture: Create situations or dialogues around the house where the children will grow the nurturing capabilities for each other.
Intervene: In case of abusive behavior showed by the children, parents must intervene urgently and address it.
Fun activities: Ensure that the children are having fun and are enjoying each other’s company.
Personal relationships: Create the safe space to ensure that the children believe that their parent’s love is not divided among themselves, in fact it is multiplied.