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Parenting

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Original poster

Do your children bicker constantly?

10 replies

harrisey · 04/07/2006 17:29

My kids are dd1 - 6, ds - 4 and dd2 - 2. They never seem to stop bickering and winding each other up - its doing my head in now its the holidays and they are all at home all day!
It doesnt help that dd2 is going through the 'MINE!" stage and ds is still not capable of much negotiation. I just dont know how to get them to do anything nicely! they are always telling each other what to do and both my dds are very bossy!
Its worse if I have to do something on my own for, oh I don't know, 23 seconds or something, like go to the loo or answer the phone. the heat isnt helping of course. But I've got my period and would like to be able to go to the loo in peace!!
Any tips, suggestions, reassurance or just sympathy would be much appreciated.

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tinyFox · 04/07/2006 17:31

YES!!!!

festiveface · 04/07/2006 18:03

yes, in fact i ended up pretty depressed last summer holidays because they were so bossy and horrid to each other the entire time.
mine are 10 and 7.
please let me know if you find the cure!

Bananaknickers · 04/07/2006 18:04

YES drive me nuts

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LadyTophamHatt · 04/07/2006 18:08

Yes.
they also ignore me constantly when I tell them to stop.

I hate being a mum at times

Californifrau · 04/07/2006 18:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

emmatom · 04/07/2006 18:12

The reassurance is you are not alone. When I get to the end of my tether with them, I just order them to their seperate rooms. This is after a couple of warnings.

It might just be one warning if I'm particularly hot and bothered and they are particularly whinging/moaning/arguing.

After they come out of their rooms and I've calmed down a bit, I do explain how they've driven me do-lally (they are 9 and 7) with their bickering.

Also, when they are being really good with each other I do make sure they know it and tell them how nice things are with everyone getting on.

Siblings will always argue I reckon. Just get them out of each others way for a bit when it all gets too much. When they are in their rooms, sit down and chill and get your head back on.

Original poster

harrisey · 04/07/2006 22:30

OOOh thanks everyone.
Its just nice to know I am not alone.
I dont have the luxury of seperate rooms for my 3, but 'divide and conquer' does seem to work, except with the 2 yo who just comes looking for me - then I feel bad as I am giving her attention while the other 2 are isolated.
I know it is just a sibling thing, but after 2 days of the school hols it is driving me nuts!!!

OP posts:

charliecat · 04/07/2006 22:32

Mine are a bit older but I find making them sit in silence for 2 minutes on the same sofa but at different ends works a treat, when i let them go I say 5 minutes next time....

bogwobbit · 04/07/2006 22:55

Yep and the oldest is 19.
Nothing I do works and it drives me nuts too/
Drink helps sometimes though - for me, not them that is.

maggi · 05/07/2006 22:36

My dh is 36 and bickers with his brother who is 44!....
My own boys (6 + 3)know exactly how to wind each other up in every situation. They play sweetly and then as soon as something doesn't go their way they instantly resort to taking it out on each other. Sometimes they just do it because it's Friday or maybe because Mars is doing whatever it does. Sometimes there is just no reason, that I can find, and those are the toughest to enforce dicipline.
I just keep telling them alternative ways of handling the trigger events. It seems to have some effect as they can now think of some of the answers themselves. But getting them to put them into practice is sooooooo tough. The youngest is going through a biting phase and is now marking his brother.

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