Sibling rivalry

[augustinapeach]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "dradamsapple" 
<dradamsapple at y...> wrote:
> HELP!!!!
> 
> Forgive the OT-ness of this post, but I'm at my wits end.
> The fighting between my three offspring has reached an all time 
> high.
> As an only child, I know not of fighting amongst my blood 
relatives.
> And I don't know what to do.  My DH, who has two sisters, just 
laughs 
> at me.
> Any child psychologists out there (or those of you who have been 
> through this already), willing to give out advice?  
> I'll make you some Lasagna. and Tiramisu for dessert.
> write me off list at   dradamsapple at y...
> Thanks!
> 
> Anna . . .(whose beginnig to feel she needs a nice white jacket 
like 
> Lockhart's in the last scene of Cos, AFTER the credits 
rolled . . .)

AP:

Give yourself a break. . . . I read somewhere that siblings fight so 
much because the home is a "socially acceptable" place to work out 
and try relationship behaviors (not to discount any of the other 
ideas that other people have brought up -- unfairness of perks, 
etc.) My 8-year-old son says mean things to his 5-year-old sister 
that I know he doesn't say at school (anyway, I've never had any 
notes from the teacher or bad conduct grades!) -- it's like he's 
experimenting.  Other times, I'm not even sure they realize they are 
fighting -- they are just reacting out of habit or whatever ("you 
call me a name, I'll call you a worse one").  However, on 
Thanksgiving, they both said the other was the thing they are most 
thankful for.  Try not to let the negative color the way you view 
all their interaction.

Greta (who has been guilty of turning the car radio up VERY loud to 
drown out the sound of a pointless argument in the back seat)