The only things my girls love more than each other is sibling rivalry. They can have turf wars over just about anything...dolls, toys, things neither one really wants...the list is ever-expanding. And when the tug-of-war turns into a stalemate they always resort to the inevitable "Dad!", in the hopes that I will resolve their problems (i.e. side with their cause, and not their sister's.).
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| Dad! |
Well, I'm done with enabling this behavior. They have to resolve their own petty issues and arguments, and learn to accept the outcome. Thankfully, neither one is prone to violence as a solution, so I am comfortable with my decision, knowing that their problem will be solved without one of them getting a black eye or broken finger. In the rare case that my input is needed, I'll give it, as advice, not as picking one kid's side over the other.
Too often I see parents intervene unnecessarily in childrens' arguments...hoping to solve the kid's problems like some kind of fairy Godmother or Godfather. Giving the kids the impression that some outside force is always going to come to their aid, alleviating them from learning coping skills. I'm not saying to let a child get bullied or manipulated by another, but they need to learn cause and effect as early as possible. Maybe they'll learn what consequences result from certain behaviors, or how much control one human can expect to have over other another...or what acceptance and tolerance mean.
Time will tell. For now, I expect to hear "Dad!" for quite a while, until they'll learn...
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