How to Deal With Jealousy Among Children

Children often bicker and argue with one another. These feelings intensify when jealousy is involved, but it's important for children to learn conflict resolution skills. Here are some ways to effectively deal with jealousy among children.

Instructions

1. Allow the children to honestly express their feelings about one another. Don't downplay a child's feelings, or try talking them out of feeling the way they say they feel. Children feel their parents understand them best when their feelings are acknowledged.

2. Avoid making comparisons because it is not an effective way of dealing with jealously among children. Comparisons stir jealous feelings and can make one child angry, possibly wanting to get even with the child receiving the praise.

3. Create a system for equal distribution to reduce the occurrence of squabbles. Make sure everyone receives the same amount of juice each morning, takes turns equally choosing what to have for lunch, and deciding what to watch on television.

4. Treat children as individuals instead of trying to make them seem equally the same. Point out the things that make each child unique so they feel special and loved for who they are.

5. Set boundaries and insist your children respect one another. For example, explain to your kids that they should always ask before borrowing one another's things or ask to be invited before entering each other's bedrooms.

Tips & Warnings

• If the disagreement seems minor, the best solution is to ignore the situation and allow the children to settle things among themselves.