Bickering Siblings

[MrsB1]

my DD's ( 12 and almost 9) bicker and argue CONSTANTLY !!!!! it's not a recent thing but I thought that they might grow out of it in time. It is doing my head in !!!
How does everyone else handle it ?? I think it's worse for me cos I am an only child and have no experience of it, but even DH who has a younger brother says that it's worse than he remembers !!

HELP !!!!

I was hoping my two 7 and 4 would be over all that by that age but I guess they might not! It is so tedious - I have no advice but I remember bickering with my brother who lived winding me up! We are good friends now

That should have been loved winding me up

Sympathies! My 11 and 10 yr old DDs argue all the time! It's none stop!

Mine do it too - it's bloody wearing.

I try not to get involved unless it turns really nasty eg they have to go to bed 15 minutes earlier for name-calling or saying mean things about a sibling's personality.

Earphones and an iPod help :)

Thanks ladies-good to know it's not just me !! Wearing sums it up perfectly !!

Mine are a lot younger (6 and 3yo twins), but the 2 boys in particular argue all the time, especially the age-old cry of "Muuuuuuuuuuuum, he's ANNOYING me." I told them at the beginning of the holidays that we are going to be spending a lot of time with each other and we will annoy each other so I don't want to hear about it unless someone inflicts physical pain! If I catch them fighting I generally separate them and get them to go to separate rooms for a bit. With them being older, it may be worth trying to find out what in particular winds them up about each other...and have a few rules in place if it's things like, "She comes into my room without knocking" or "She's always going through my stuff" or whatever it is to minimise the fights about 'obvious' things. You can also tell them they need to walk away if it's getting to a point of raising voices and certainly if it turns into name-calling. I would not allow that between my kids but mine are younger. When the older one does it, he does get some form of consequence for name calling.

If it's any consolation I fought with my sister a lot growing up and we are now best friends . I don't think my parents ever forced us to be friends, but we are now, and it's great.