Sibling rivalry is a common occurrence in several households. On one hand, having two kids in the house has the advantage of both playing with each other and at the same time it runs the risk of them having frequent fights. When such situation arises, of course it is the parents that have to suffer from useless battles. But first thing that you need to understand is, it’s not only your kids that are fighting among themselves but it happens in every second home. So take bother to take unnecessary tension and try having a neutral role. You can also opt for some learning as in how to manage differences and get along.
As a parent, always keep your ears open in the sense that when kids are fighting try to observe how they are handling tensions. Sometimes, mutual fights are best way for kids to learn aspects like negotiations, agreements and co-operation. You can also have a firsthand experience of how child is handling issues. Step in only when things are getting out of control. Also try to differentiate between serious conflicts or mere annoying. Try to meddle only when things are getting out of hand, someone is getting violent and some items are crashing.
Sometimes, it is a wiser idea to divert the attention of warring kids to something more stimulating like video, TV or sports. Kids have fickle attention span so they might forget things in hurry if properly diverted. Parents can also act as moderators where you listen to both parties, hear out their concerns and then decide. Try to be fair-minded. Finally, teach kids to respect each other. These virtues have to be instilled from childhood only.