Siblings Fighting? These Children Worked it Out Brilliantly

Contrary to popular opinion, children do ‘hear’ what we say. It’s true. Our out loud words do travel into their tiny ear drums.

Not convinced?

Try this experiment. Say something you would NOT like repeated. If they are a baby, it will probably become their first word. A toddler will proclaim it loudly in a store line-up. An elementary student will cheerfully share it the next day during show and tell.

Yet other times parents hit a wall, convinced NO. ONE. IS. LISTENING.

We may be tempted to wave a white flag of surrender.

Maybe we have tried to shape our children’s character.  But they get bent out of shape. Or we ask our kids to pick up their socks for the gazillionth time. After an entire day of refereeing siblings when we long to hand in our whistle and jersey.

Whatever the situation, we have all felt it. Unbridled discouragement, believing we are simply not getting through.

My good friend Lisa was discouraged recently, with a season of sibling squabbles. She was convinced her words were falling on deaf ears.

Until her children did the unthinkable.

They proved they had been listening all along.

What happens when we don’t referee?

Yesterday while my husband and I were doing yard work, the children were left with the task of tidying up inside. It was a good two hours before I ventured inside to see how they were doing, because all I could hear from outside was laughter and some rambunctious game they were playing. Everything seemed fine.

An hour earlier it had not been.

It turns out all three had the fight of the century, the worst one ever, as each sibling took verbal blows at the other.

No one was left unscathed by hurtful words.

It was so bad apparently, that they all sent themselves to different rooms away from each other to cool down. (oh how cute is that?)

The children made peace…and much more

When they reconvened in the hallway they decided they needed to do better at loving one another, so they came up with a genius and very specific “OPERATION HAPPY SIBLING CONTRACT” to keep each other accountable.

In hard parenting moments, remember this.

Mamas – don’t you dare give up.

You may be one moment away from your epic breakthrough.

Tomorrow may be your day.

The day when they willingly pick up their socks, or sit still for a picture  (just joking! we all know that’s never gonna happen) or push a younger sibling on the swing without negotiating payment first.

Our children are listening.

All those times we say:

• Treat each other the way you would like to be treated
• Show respect to your siblings
• Please don’t sit on your brother’s head

They are listening.

Sometimes we need to give them a chance to prove it.

Allow time for lessons to simmer. Give children space for a win. Let them work together to solve problems and practice using the tools you have modelled.

Believe that your words have made a difference, even if it is unseen for a season. Trust that your lessons will not return void – your children are listening.

And when your victory happens, share it with other Moms to spread hope. Hope that we really are getting through – one word at a time.