Have you ever wondered how your kids can play well together and be nice to each other all the time? Before my second child was born, I used to think all my kids will get along with each other well, especially when I saw how my eldest wanted a younger sibling, and it looked like he would be a good big brother. Yes, he does love his younger sister, and takes good care of her sometimes, but not all the time. There are still times when I heard them quarreling and my little girl crying. Then I started to read more information about sibling rivalry, and how siblings can get along.
This is the first time I found a challenge about siblings. It is
Love Your Sibling Challenge from
Not Consumed. This is not only a challenge, but also a contest. It started on 14 February, and runs through 14 March. Once you have signed up to the challenge or contest, you will receive a sheet of activities which your kids can do to show love and kindness to each other. Each activity has a point value, such as
giving a hug to the sibling will gain 1 point,
making sibling’s bed will gain 2 points,
giving 5 minute massage to sibling will gain 3 points, etc. I am not so much up for the contest, but I think it might be fun to have some activities or actions we can encourage our kids to do to the siblings, instead of just asking them to be nice or share with each other.
Though I do not encourage reward system for children, I think it can be fun to introduce the point system, not to compete with each other, but just to make the challenge a little bit more fun. Moreover, it can help my eldest son to practice his Math, and he will be happy to do that too.
Though the contest started on 14 February, and it is already end of the month, I think we can still print out the activity sheet and have the challenge in our own family, but not to compete with others. I plan to start the challenge for my elder two kids who are 8 years old and 5 years old. I will print out the activity sheet, and have a point chart for each of them, and calculate the points at the end of the week, as the contest suggested. If it goes well, I will just continue to keep track of the points, just for fun, or we will have a small celebration after both have achieved a milestone.
Kim Sorgius, the founder of
Not Consumed, also recommends her bible study book for sibling relationship, My Brother’s Keeper. You can visit the store and read more information about the book, though purchase of the book is not required for taking part in this challenge. By the way, you can also check out
Not Consumed website for
free printables, for
homeschooling,
family life and
discipleship.
I hope my kids and I will enjoy the challenge, and this will help them to build better relationship too.
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Reward system is nice, once in a while like when they are on the top 3 of their whole batch in prep, primary and other years of their school year.
However, it shouldn't be on our everyday or always basis.It should be that we should teach them how to be patient with our little siblings if they are older. We make it a lesson to them that as the older ones, we should be the model of goodness.
Of course, as to the younger ones, we should tell them not to be so dependent on the older ones, so when they are taught of what should be done, they should memorize them or put them into practice.
Most of all, we should teach them all how to be loving and hugging each other always.
Actually, as siblings we weren't taught this way, to be hugging one another, so until now, we find it not a natural way to hug one another. SO, that's why as early as now we should teach our kids to be this way.