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warring brothers - any advice extremely welcome?

6 replies

rubyred · 11/01/2004 22:10

I have two boys, ds1 is 5 and ds2 4. The problem is that they fight and argue so much that I dread the weekends and after school. This weekend ended in a nightmare on Saturday evening when after listening to them constantly niggling and physically bashing each other for hours my dh got mad with them both and they ended up going to bed without stories for the first time ever. My ds2 cried himself to sleep (and I felt awful). Then first thing this morning they were at it again. They can't agree on anything from which (identical) bowl they each want for breakfast to who gets to sit on the toilet lid first to brush his teeth. It's great when we're out and about doing things out of the house but literally the minute we get back in its world war three. If anyone's got any tips for me I'd be most grateful!

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lilibet · 12/01/2004 12:56

I have 2 ds's too and am an only child so was just not prepared for the war that goes on between them. I shout myself hoarse at them a lot of the time, its over the most stupid things as yousay and I hate how they tell tales on one another.
Having said that they do have their nice moments, but the fighting does really get me down, so no advice sorry, but loads of sympathy.
Mine are 10 and 7, so it doesn't get better either - sorry!!

kmg1 · 12/01/2004 13:39

Rubyred - your thread really struck a chord with me when I read it last thing last night, and I went to sleep thinking about you.

So I've got loads of thoughts, and hope something is of some help to you. Btw I have two boys are 4.5 and 6.5.

I'm sure you are a great parent - I've always found things are better 'out of the house', and that doesn't have to be a bad thing, or a bad reflection on you or your children. If you can isolate 'flash points/bad times', see if you can arrange to go out at that time. Try and arrange several little outings over the weekend to break things up a bit. Until very recently I HAD to get the boys out of the house whatever the weather and have some fresh air before 9.30 am every day (bit like walking the dog), otherwise all hell broke loose. So we had little routines like going to fetch the paper on a Saturday. We also have swimming lessons first thing (8.30 am - ouch!) on a Sunday. I find that after a little trip, they will quite often come home and play together nicely for a while.

Try not to have too high expectations of them - they are still very young, and co-operating socially is a difficult skill. Try and identify individual activities that they can do to have some space from one another. My boys are older than yours, but still over the holidays they spent more time in separate activities than in joint ones. (Reading a book, playing on the computer, drawing or doing some craft activity, building with the Lego.)

When you do think they are in a good frame of mind to play co-operatively, give them a specific suggestion, and a promise of a reward after a set (short) length of time - say 30 minutes if they have coped OK without squabbling.

A lot of this is completely normal, and just kids growing up. I always have very low expectations of them in the hour before bedtime, when they are exhausted. But I was surprised to hear you relate stories of them arguing first thing in the morning. Maybe the 'breakfast bowl' type of arguments have arisen because they are so close in age. You may have some success by being super-strict about such things for a brief period. "I give you the bowl with the breakfast in it ... no complaints. If you argue about it, you get nothing." ... And of course loads and loads of positive rewards for good behaviour.

In this house we have zero tolerance of violent/aggressive behaviour. I don't believe that boys have to constantly hit and kick one another. They don't accept that sort of behaviour at school, and I won't tolerate it in my house.

Sorry this is so long - hope some of it is helpful to you. Feel free to ignore the bits you don't agree with!

Just felt I should offer my point of view. My boys are not angels, far from it, but constant squabbling and fighting is very wearing to witness, and is not doing anyone any good. I don't think it's necessary, and I do think - unlike lilibet - that things can improve, it doesn't have to stay that way.

Good luck - do let us know how things go.

SoupDragon · 12/01/2004 14:24

Shut them in a soudn proofed room and let them get on with it whilst you have a cup of coffee. Sigh. I often with I could to that with my DSs (nearly 5 and nearly 3).

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Festivefly · 12/01/2004 14:27

Seperate end of the house for me,i try to keep mine apart at the moment before i have blood pressure problems

rubyred · 17/01/2004 22:20

Thanks for your suggestions. This week hasn't been too bad. I've actually tried a star chart this week - and bloody hell it's worked. I've always been dead against them on grounds of the fact that they would make me feel too twee middle class but desperation makes you do funny things. It was actually ds1's idea and amazingly they have both taken to it like fish to water. I only have to threaten that they won't get their stars for the day and they become like angels. Having said that, I have had to send them to their bedroom today for trashing (badly) the living room. Also it's also reassuring to be told that it's normal - really helps to cope. I never dreamed that being a mum would be so hard (I never read the small print)!!!!

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nutcracker · 17/01/2004 22:22

H ave the same problem ATM but with dd's aged 6 and 4. Can't really give any advice as i can't seem to find a solution either. I know how you feel though

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