It seems like lately all my girls do is fight. They used to love each other so much but now it is just non-stop arguing. Toys, movies, food, sleeping..you name it they fight about it. Hailey has been walking around lately with her eyes closed and feeling her way with her hands (I don't know why, maybe it's a stage) so today Katelyn decides to push her while she is doing this and Hailey falls and now has a bruise on the outside corner of her eye and it is swollen. When I asked Katelyn why she did this she said "she was walking around with her eyes closed and I pushed her" sigh...

Will it ever get back to the way it was? They were such loving sisters.

By Kate on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 01:12 pm:

Um, personally, as the mother of two girls ages 4 and 9 (4 years and seven months apart) I'd say not for a long time. I have decided that the IDEAL spacing of children is 18 years.

This may sound silly, but I have been reading the 'Ramona' series by Beverly Cleary. Of course I read all those as a kid and I read them to my 9 year old when she was littler, but right now I'm reading them for MYSELF. Why? Because they give AMAZING insight into the way kids think! And amazing insight into sibling relationships. I'm much more patient and understanding with them now, as Cleary takes me into the minds of two girls aged 4-8 for Ramona, and Beezus aged 9-13. Honestly, you might want to read them sometime!

By Tink on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 04:26 pm:

I have two girls that are four years and five days apart and NO, the fighting never seems to stop but if you start looking for it, you'll catch them being nice to each other. Even if it is just giving bedtime kisses without being asked or sharing a bowl of popcorn. I'm sure they are picking up on all the "new baby" excitement (which sometimes translates into stress for kids) and may be acting out in response to that. When things get really hectic around here, I try to change our environment, like heading outside for a walk or into the kitchen to make pancakes. My kids love to help and we just freeze them for breakfasts later!

Kate, that's a great idea and my oldest is really enjoying those books right now. I may have to sneak a couple out of her room to read myself.

By Rayanne on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 04:32 pm:

I have a little sister, and we are 4 years a part and we fought all the time. No matter what my parents did, we always fought.
We used to have intercoms in our rooms, and I would whisper into hers to scare her. I was horrable to her sometimes.
Our rooms were right next to eachother, and at night if we couldn't sleep we would knock on each others wall to different beats, and see if we could copy each other. It drove my parents nuts.

By Imamommyx4 on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 05:40 pm:

My ds's are 19,22,24. My 24 yo was home last weekend and 22 yo came by and they started in as soon as he walked in the door. Now what is even more odd to me is that 19 yo ds and 4 yo dd fuss and argue about everything. 19 yo son still lives at home, not a bad kid or anything, and they fuss like he and his brothers did when they were little. It's just a sibling thing.

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 06:15 pm:

My kids are 15 and 13. They are 2 years and 8 months apart in age. Some days they get along great and other days they just want to kill each other! My sisters and I were the same way!

By Kaye on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 08:07 pm:

Just wait till number 3 gets here..rofl! What I have found is there is nothing that makes siblings get along better than having someone to team up against. It is only funny when it is not at your house...lol.

By My2cuties on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 11:02 pm:

Oh gee, thanks Kaye. LOL

They do have their nice moments, Katelyn kept looking at her eye and saying "Awwww, do you have a boo-boo?"

By Conni on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 01:24 pm:

The bad news is it wont stop. The good news is Prozac is available...Enjoy! rofl

By Bellajoe on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 02:07 pm:

Sure it wil stop...once one of them moves out of the house

My sister and I are 7 yrs apart and bickered constantly. Until she went away to college. I was all excited that i would have my own room when she left. But when we dropped her off at her dorm (4 hrs away from home) and were pulling out of the parking lot i started bawling! My dad asked what is wrong and I said "I miss Marianne!!" I was about 12 yrs old.

Now we are still 4 hours apart but are best friends and talk on the phone every day. So yes there is a light at the end of the tunnel, it is just miles and miles away!

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 04:58 pm:

I don't think it ever stops. My sisters and I still bicker sometimes! LOL! Actually, we all get along pretty well, though!

By Musicmom on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 09:13 pm:

When my kids get out of control I do a behavior chart with them. It is being kind together. No yelling at each other, no hitting, no teasing, etc. It starts from the time they get up to the time they go to bed on the hour. I block out the school hours for the older kids. I have a timer that goes off. No fighting for that hour, they get a sticker, if they fight they get an "X" or what ever you want. If old enough, they can be responsible for resetting the timer.

My littler ones, get one penny for each sticker that is given to them at the end of the day and put in a cleaned peanut butter jar with their name on it. Besides the pennies, they get an added bonus if they get say 10 out of 13 sticker, they get an extra 5 cents, all 13 stickers, 10 cents more. They can also earn a dessert regardless of whether they ate dinner or not. You can set the rewards as you want.

It takes a few days to a week to first get it started, but it has really worked well with my kids. When things settle down, I stop it and start it again as needed.

The new baby probably has some effect on the girls behavior too.
Good luck.

By Palmbchprincess on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 12:34 am:

I didn't have siblings until I was much older, but Nate has 2 younger brothers. (They're 27, 20, and 18 now) Their grandmom used to make them hold hands when they were fighting, and we tell the kids they have to hold hands when they fight now. Oddly enough, it works. Well, at least it quiets everyone down and diffuses the fight, because if they keep fighting the time starts over. His mom saw him tell the kids they had to sit and hold hands, and laughed, because apparently the boys and their cousins all spent a good deal of time doing it as children! Hey, it's worth a shot!

By Agreen on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 08:26 am:

my sister is 3 years older than i was, we fought all the time growing up! i was her pesty sister, LOL Then one day she became my best friend... (probably because she could get an extended curfew with me tagging along ) We have been best friends since.

By My2cuties on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 09:59 pm:

Yes when you get older and move out it stops, but that doesn't help the mother..LOL My sisters and I get along great now since we see each other about 5 times a year and live no more than an hour away from each other.

Crystal, that is a great idea! I just wonder if I could get Hailey to hold hands, she can throw some of the worst fits I have EVER seen in my life. I can't even wipe her face without her throwing her head back and jumping up and down....another thing I am going to have to work on...
On the other hand, Katelyn has a friend at church and they hold hands the entire time we are there. It is hilarious! She loves to hold hands!