Aarrrghhh! Kids are driving me insane!!!

[Helentres]

How do you deal with kids that are CONSTANTLY bickering and trying to get one over on each other? They're driving me mad!

I've tried buying 2 of everything, then they argue about ones bigger than the other, a better colour etc etc (even if they're exactly same) or "that ones mine, this ones yours"

Pulling my hair out with it here. It's been a looooonnnggg 6 weeks, and its not even over yet

I take them away! My DDs do this and I just take the things and walk off...magically they both become FINE with whichever they get.

I take things away but then they argue about who's fault it was haha they just never stop! I remember arguing with my sister a lot when growing up but my DSs are just unreal! Maybe I don't have enough discipline in the house or something :/. Neither of them seem to have a particular interest or hobby that I can cater to though either.

How old are they and do they share a bedroom?

If they are old enough to be out of your direct sight/not need to be micro-supervised and they have separate rooms then send them to their rooms for quiet time (quiet for you, that is) and make it clear that they are to be in their own rooms!

They're 4 and 7 and unfortunately they do share a room. I'm in a 3 bed with 3 children so they haven't really got a choice x

I occasionally have an 'oh dear' day, where I say exactly that to every complaint they bring me and otherwise feign total disinterest in their arguments, and let the noise wash over me. Unless hitting is concerned I don't get involved. Don't advocate doing it regularly, but when my nerves are frayed, it's my last resort and sometimes it's surprising how they 'sort it out' themselves!

they do generally tend to sort quite a bit of it out themselves when I think about it. Either that or I just take whatever's causing the argument and walk away without saying a word (I find silent treatment sometimes makes them realise ive had enough). I think it's just that its been almost all day every day for 5 weeks and they were getting on my last nerve with the noise. DS2 likes to scream an extremely high pitched scream when he's not getting his own way and it sounds awful x

Sympathies about the screaming! It does go straight through you. I had a bout of this with my 4 year old. Eventually I videod one of his tantrums on my phone and played it back to him when he had calmed down. To show him what he looked like. He looked a bit sheepish and hasn't done it since. Obviously wont work with all kids, but he is quite concerned with 'being cool' so his image was at stake

Might have to try that one hes always telling DS1 he looks silly when having a tantrum so might work if I show him what he looks like when having a tantrum.

Sorry, only just realised ive NC and didnt say :S oops. I'm OP by the way x