How can I stop them from fighting?

[BanginChoons]

My dc are 7 and 6. They have recently started fighting over everything and anything and it's driving me crazy. It's all the time. They are not responding to usual consequences. What can I do? Help!

Omg my 4 and 6 year old are the same! Was going to post a thread the other day asking If it's normal. They spend the entire day fighting.

Make them hold hands. My boys hated that but it worked!

Seperate them for 30 mins into seperate bedrooms, EVERY time, and count up how often they do it when out on return put them into their bedrooms for the required time!

Worked very fast for mine who hate being banished to their rooms.

I had zero tolerance for fighting.

I wish I knew. I need a bouncer to separate mine. I use to try making them go in their rooms but I couldn't hold both doors shut at the same time so they took it in turns to escape and muck around. Top parent here .

Eventually, with my two DC, I told them I was no longer prepared to referee between the two of them, so I would let them get on with it. It turns out they were relying on me to intervene so it wouldn't go too far. They stopped.
If that doesn't work, introduce punishments that affect them both equally - withdraw tv / computer / reading time - whatever works. Tell them why they are getting the punishment / sanction / consequence.

unless you saw A hit/pinch/poke/do what the hell ever to B then do not get involved in their nonsense, one of them will be smug the other hard done by and it will be your fault.

LAW OF UNIVERSAL MISERY, if they cannot get along in a civil fashion or even be nice then they will be miserable together. ...see Mrs Doubtfire when she has them scrubbing the skirtings .

Pretty much what mineofuselessinformation said

However do be warned, it will turn them into excellent negotiators and one day they will turn on you, pair up and use their skills against you! :o

Any toy used as a weapon goes in the bin.
Anything they can't take turns with is taken away from both of them.
If you have to intervene to sort out the argument they both get the punishment.
Unite them against you and reward their negotiation skills. When I had 2 that age a lot of the fighting was attention seeking- Mum, he did x, she did y, and in the meantime I have stopped what I'm doing.

However, my mum's solution of banging our darling heads together if we couldn't agree is now frowned on due to the risk of concussion.

Ask whichever child is shouting the loudest "is anyone bleeding or on fire?" If the answer is no, shut them both down immediately, you don't care which one said/did/breathed on or looked at the other, they just stop Right Now. If they can't, confiscate whatever they are fighting over or turn off the console/TV/pc. Go about your business. They will learn (eventually) but it could be 20 years...