Going through a divorce is stressful for the adults; however, the situation doesn’t stop there. When children are involved, the children can sometimes experience the effects of a divorce.
Sibling rivalry is something that might creep up or become more pronounced when the parents are going through a divorce. There are several ways that you can discourage the children from trying to go after each other due to the divorce.
There is a chance that the children will blame each other for the divorce. You can help to prevent this from happening by letting the children know honestly that the marriage ended because of issues between the adults. Even when you do this, there might still be some talk between the children, but hopefully it won’t lead to fights.
Another reason why there might be sibling rivalry is that all of the children are vying for attention. The sudden upheaval that is going on can make the children unsure about everything. You can help to prevent this by making sure that the children all have ample time to spend with you. If possible, your ex could do the same thing.
Children might not be good at dealing with the stress of the situation. This could make them act out with each other. Helping them find ways to work through the stress and cope with the situation might help minimize outbursts.
You should also make sure that your children aren’t put in the middle of the issues between you and your ex. Try to get the child custody matters resolved quickly so that you can help your children become accustomed to the new way of life.
Source: Our Family Wizard, “3 Reasons Sibling Rivalry Can Worsen After a Divorce (And How to Prevent Them),” accessed Aug. 17, 2017