Tips To Help Teenage Stepsiblings Get Along
How can you encourage your teenagers to get along with their stepsiblings?
Give up any idea that they will become as close
as 'real' brothers and sisters and concentrate on findings ways of peaceful
co-existence. Children may not automatically love their Stepsiblings.
Accept it!
You chose your partner. Your children
did not choose your partner's kids! If you've ever shared a house, remember
how difficult flatmates can be? And you usually have some say in choosing
a flatmate.
Work on getting them to live together in
peace
Listen to both sides, not only your
child's. When you think you've understood what is at the basis of
their (probably mutual) dislike, call a family meeting to discuss the
situation. The most important thing here is to ban all name-calling, criticising
and other negative behaviour. Insist that since they live under the same
roof, they must find a way of living together. Get them to list the things
that cause the most friction. Ask them to choose the 2 or 3 that cause
most arguments to find ways of resolving the problem.
Present a united front
Despite your natural inclinations, you
and your partner must at all costs avoid getting drawn into the conflict.
Though you may act as impartial referees, the onus is on them to resolve
their differences.
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