My brother is four years younger than I am. There's nothing more annoying to a young girl than an energetic, pesky, younger brother. (I love you, bro!) Parents are equally annoyed at having to run interference. How many times did I hear my mother say to him (after all my complaining), "If I hear your name one more time..."
I talk a lot about stepping aside. This is another opportunity to practice this skill: whenever possible, let siblings work out their differences. They learn more about relationships, problem-solving and communication when you stay out of it.
Quotable quotes:
"It snowed last year too: I made a snowman and my brother knocked it down and I knocked my brother down and then we had tea." Dylan Thomas
"Siblings are the people we practice on, the people who teach us about fairness and cooperation and kindness and caring, quite often the hard way." Pamela Dugdale
Fern Weis is a certified life coach who learned that caring and good intentions are not enough in parenting. In fact, they are often the problem! Fern supports parents of teens and young adults who are going through difficult situations, including addiction recovery. She helps parents release guilt, end enabling and confidently prepare their children to thrive through life's challenges. Her articles are featured in Thrive Global, Medium, Motherly, The Teen Mentor, and Bergen County Moms.
Learn more about coaching and classes at www.fernweis.com. And then download your free guide, "Five Powerful Steps to Get Your Teen to Talk." For information on Family Recovery programs, visit www.familyrecoverypartners.com.