If you have children close in age...

[PumpkinKlNG]

Do they fight? My boys 9 and 7 fight all day long, every day, not a day goes by the don’t fight and argue, I’m sick of people saying how lucky it is to have two close together because they can play together! That couldn’t be further from the truth, they never play together they can’t stand each other and the only time they get along is if it’s to gang up on their sister. It’s so bad I’ve had to put them in separate bedrooms (they use to share) and send them to separate holiday clubs!

I'm so glad to read this! I have a 8,7 and 3 year old, all boys. They all love different things and drive me and but each one is amazing. They fight over cardboard boxes!

Just teenagers, 15 months apart and forever arguing. Seperate bedrooms thankfully as they can hardly be in the same room together 😔
I know the younger one loves the other but I'm not sure it holds true the other way round.
Although thinking about it they don't ever physically fight, just wind each other up.

Fuck me, yes.

@InDubiousBattle

Total opposite with my two, they're 6 and 7 and get on really well, they play together and entertain one another. I pray it continues but am assured by parents of older dc that it won't!

Not always- mine have always been close, heading to the end of senior now and still as thick as thieves, sometimes siblings have the personality to be best friends, it is luck of the draw but gosh I am grateful.

Mine are 14m apart, I get the "are they twins?" Convo daily

They are b/g and constantly beat the shit out of each other

I’m jealous of all the people whose kids get along, I’m sick of playing referee all day, they have physical fights and I’ve told the younger one not to as it isn’t an equal fight (the older one is much bigger and stronger) but it just continues, they fight in public, never see other kids do it

Mine did.
One a boy, one a girl.
BUT the good news is, as adults, they are very close and get along really well.
Just wanted to give you hope

Mine are 3 years apart so not that close and they have a 3 modes
1)On screens and ignoring each other
2) bickering
3) sleeping
🙄

Mine go through stages of playing nicely together and fighting like cat and dog.

Generally as long as they don't have to share something, everything is fine.

What do you do when one is obviously winding the other one up?

I think it's normal anyway, my brother and I fought until we were 16/18.
But with lockdowns, schooo holidays etc they're all probably just fed up with each other, a lot of relationships have collapsed, it makes sense families are annoying each other.

Tell them to stop but they will usually ignore me or then the other will say “haha you got told off” or whatever then that will turn into an argument, it’s very much equal with the winding each other up.

Mine play and fight. They're 2 and 3 and my 2 year old can be a little bully at times and my 3 year old is awful for snatching thing off her so they wind each other up.

My DD used to wind DS (younger) up all the time until he snapped and lashed out and hit her, and then she would come to us that he had hit her. She would know what buttons to push and what to keep repeating and he wouldnt have an answer and would resort to violence. I would tell both of them off.

I have a 9 year old and a 7 year old. They’re chalk and cheese and go through phases of being best friends and phases of constant bickering/fighting. We’re in a bickering/fighting phase at the moment so I sent one to his grandparents for a couple of days to give them a break from each other.

I have 3 boys all close in ages, they do a fair bit of winding each other up but loads of playing together too.

Also OP, I find mine fight more when they’re bored - it’s like entertainment for them and I think from talking to friends and men who grew up with brothers, fighting to relieve boredom is quite common apparently.

7 & 9 they bicker but don’t fight. I’m fairly laid back with most things but really really strict when it comes to them fighting. I have zero tolerance for it and never allowed it, they don’t have to be best friends but they do have to treat each other with respect, no gloating, no telling tales etc…

2 years between me and my brother and we fought and fought and fought all the way though primary and secondary school years. I think it was the pressure to be close, if that makes any sense? I get on way better with my much older sister where there was no sibling rivalry and pressure because we were at different enough stages in life.

We are out everyday so I would be surprised if it was boredom as they even fight in the park 🤦‍♀️ Like I said they were fighting in holiday club today so next year they are going to separate ones!