It may be a chance remark by one of the parents applauding one child or perhaps continued comparison between the siblings that inadvertently starts what is commonly known as sibling rivalry.
However every child does not share a close bond with his siblings and many even go through what is commonly known as sibling rivalry.
Ideally the relationship between siblings should be perfect, as besides being bonded by blood, they live in close contact in the same environment. They share almost all experiences, witness each other’s pranks and the subsequent reaction of their parents to various situations. However every child does not share a close bond with his siblings and many even go through what is commonly known as sibling rivalry
Life after having the first child becomes very challenging and no amount of reading or searching on the internet can prove a perfect guide for the newly made parents.
Being siblings does not necessarily mean having identical or even similar traits and habits, however the cause of sibling rivalry has more to do with the parents then with the individual behavior pattern of the children. Life after having the first child becomes very challenging and no amount of reading or searching on the internet can prove a perfect guide for the newly made parents. However having the second child is also not free from challenges and one of the greatest “bewares” is to ensure that the first child does not feel neglected after the arrival of the baby, since he was used to being the sole recipient of the parents attention. Some parents handle this very smartly, by ensuring that there is no scarcity of attention and the older child is made to feel even more important. However parents not realizing the sensitivity of this situation and unconsciously neglecting the older child, even in the initial days can sow the irreversible seed of sibling rivalry
Not all parents realize that a child’s dignity is very vulnerable and every child’s output and level of intelligence is not the same, hence comparisons between them can be odious, sometimes even throwing the weaker one in a state of inferiority and subsequent resentment for the smarter sibling. Even seemingly meek children have a strong capacity for storing rancor and continued appreciation for the stronger sibling can keep fueling the fumes of resentment and needless to say the chances of having a healthy and joyous sibling relationship diminishes.
The child being stronger academically or otherwise should not get more respect than the one not getting very good grades or not shining in sports.
Parenthood is not just about fulfilling the child’s requirements and sending him to good educational institutes, but taking every child as a separate entity and respecting each child for his own characteristic traits. The child being stronger academically or otherwise should not get more respect than the one not getting very good grades or not shining in sports.
Those not having a close relationship with siblings are missing something very worthwhile in life.
Sibling rivalry once started continues through life and the extent to which it effects their relationship depends upon factors like individual temperaments, each person’s achievements or failures in life, as in the case of the not so successful ones, the level of competitive resentment is more acute. Those not having a close relationship with siblings are missing something very worthwhile in life, as with common bonds like parents, and a shared childhood their relationship could have been fulfilling, as well as supportive, particularly in times of emotional needs.
