For more parenting techniques visit Parenting 101. For help in improving your ability to cope with the rigors of parenting we suggest Stress Management For Parents.

Yes, siblings ran create certain stresses but if they are overcome successfully, they will give your children resources that will serve them well later in life. Siblings learn how to share, how to come face to face with jealousy, and how to accept their individual strengths and weaknesses.

Best of all. as they watch you handle sibling rivalry with equanimity and fairness, they will be pining knowledge that will be valuable when they, too, become parents.

Useful Books on Sibling Rivalry

Siblings Without Rivalry : How to Help Your Children Live Together So You Can Live Too (an excellent resource for parents)

I'd Rather Have an Iguana (for children 4-6 having to cope with a new baby in the family)

Birth Order Blues : How Parents Can Help Their Children Meet the Challenges of Birth Order (The author raises parents' awareness of the impact of birth order upon children and suggests ways to resolve or circumvent potential problems relating to birth order issues).

Brothers and Sisters : Born to Bicker? (Teen Issues) (An intriguing entry in the Teen Issues series focuses on the interaction between brothers and sisters: ``The sibling relationship has much to do with how we feel about ourselves, as well as how we relate to others throughout our lives.")

Other Helpful Resources

When children feel good about themselves, it is easier for them to get along with others. For a boost of self-esteem, have your children listen to Self-Image For Children or Successful Teens. For suggestions on how to build self-esteem in your children we suggest the video, Building Your Child's Self-Esteem.

Finally, sometimes the attitude and coping ability of parents can be a major part of the problem. These two tapes have been found to be very helpful: Being An Effective Happy Parent and Anger Control. You may also want to consider reading When Anger Hurts Your Kids.

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