OK, I know it's been Christmas, and everyone has been very much too cooped up together for a few days - with no relief in sight, may I add, as we have relatives tomorrow and Weds.
My normally fairly amiable to each other girls have descended into hitting each other the last few days and I feel it's getting out of control. They are often mildly verbal to each other (fairly harmless "you stink", "well you stink more" kind of comments) but that always seems more like play fighting than anything else and neither seem bothered by it. But the last few days they have both made each other cry fairly regularly by slapping, punching etc. It doesn't seem from what I can see to be one bullying the other - they are 14 and 11 and the 11 year old seems to be as implicated in starting it as the 14 year old. Both of them always admit to having done it.
I've become increasingly cross as the days have worn on. I've told them it absolutely is not acceptable to hit each other and it is to stop. It hasn't. This morning after DD1 whacked DD2 on the head pretty hard with a book (for calling her ugly) I told them if it continued they would be losing privileges big time, and so far there's been no further occurances.
So, what sanctions would you use? My mum suggests fining them a set amount of their allowance and I'm thinking this is the way I will go. But wondering if any of you other mumsnetters have coped with this, and how.