https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:25:34 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sibling-squabbles#post-2840193 Thu, 16 Aug 2018 16:11:18 +0000 caitcat 2840193@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Cereal: Great timing! I look forward to reading it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sibling-squabbles#post-2840138 Thu, 16 Aug 2018 13:36:03 +0000 Mrs. Cereal 2840138@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Haha, this post is great because I just wrote a blog post about how much my kids are fighting with each other right now. Perfect timing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sibling-squabbles#post-2840134 Thu, 16 Aug 2018 13:19:46 +0000 snowjewelz 2840134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@caitcat: I have the same age gap here (they're exactly 2 years apart), and both girls, so I feel you! I think their personalities play into their dynamic too. DD1 is a rule follower so she gets upset about the little things but she does get over it. One min she looooves her baby sister and plays with her nicely and the next she's crying b/c "she did something to me" :grin: DD2 is just a feisty sassy tornado..... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sibling-squabbles#post-2840124 Thu, 16 Aug 2018 12:43:44 +0000 KT326 2840124@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a 6.5 year old and 20 month old. Even with the age difference we are starting to have a lot of conflict over toys. Younger DS just wants to do everything the older one does. Luckily the older one knows to just move somewhere else or even distract the younger one with another toy. As long as no one is on the verge of getting hurt I try to let them settle it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sibling-squabbles#post-2840118 Thu, 16 Aug 2018 12:30:33 +0000 Mrs. Toad 2840118@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mine are 3.5 (DS) and 18 months (DD). DD is not as into DS as your daughter is, but occasionally I ask DS if he wants to go into his room to play with something. However, mine share a room, so it doesn't help that much. Usually, I make them share it or take it away. We are usually fighting over a particular toy lately. Otherwise, I state that it is a shared toy (kitchen). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sibling-squabbles#post-2840111 Thu, 16 Aug 2018 12:11:27 +0000 caitcat 2840111@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: Thanks! That's helpful to not feel like the only one! Most of my friends have only one kid, or have two muuuch farther apart - so I think my sample size for watching siblings together is skewing some of how I'm seeing my own. My closest friends also ALL ended up with magically calm, compliant kids...and I certainly can't say the same about mine! </p> <p>I should work with my older one more on moving some of her things up/to her room if she's not okay with getting them messed up. She's good about that with some things (play dough, beads), but she also digs her heels in with this idea of "I was playing here first" with other stuff. I figure eventually she'll connect the dots that if she stays put, it's fair game for her little sister so she'd be better off moving. She's definitely not getting it by me saying it over and over again. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sibling-squabbles#post-2840071 Thu, 16 Aug 2018 09:35:52 +0000 snowjewelz 2840071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have an almost 4 year old and almost 2 year old (4 months away from birthdays). I feel ya! The little one always is copying the older one, touching her when not warranted, and definitely hitting/pulling hair on occasion. The older one is always whining about her little sister! </p> <p>My mindset is just that it's pretty normal; I usually kind of let them figure it out and if someone gets upset, they get upset and get over it. I intervene on the bigger/outright wrong stuff but otherwise just grin &amp; bear it really.</p> <p>For example, DD2 always destroys puzzles/magnatiles that DD1 is working on. So I just tell DD1 you either have to be okay with her messing it up, or you take it up to the dining table or your room to do it. So sometimes she does, and esp for her beading/jewelry stuff she knows to do it far away from her sister. And sometimes she'll create something with her magnatiles just for DD2 to destroy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sibling-squabbles#post-2839975 Wed, 15 Aug 2018 16:42:02 +0000 caitcat 2839975@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How do you keep the peace between your preschooler and younger toddler? </p> <p>I have a 16 month old and a 3.5 year old and they have been at each other's throats recently. My younger one is into everything my older one is doing, and becomes laser-focused on being right there with her in the thick of it. And she's getting quicker and more assertive about it by the day. She adores her big sister, which is sweet and all - but her constant attention drives my older one crazy. My older one is really easily overwhelmed and feeling like her little sister is trailing her non-stop is leading to lots of meltdowns. Today I felt like each kid alternated losing it over something the other one did or didn't do. </p> <p>I can distract my younger one for a bit, but if she sees her big sister doing anything else, she zeroes in on it and jumps right in. Both kids do well with things together outside - running around, bubbles, playing in the yard, things like that...but it's hot and I can't keep them out all day. :) </p> <p>Any tips or tricks? Is this just a grin and bear it kind of phase? Three has been a very challenging year for us with my older daughter, and as my younger one is turning into more of a toddler than a baby I'm sensing more trouble brewing. </p>