Expect that during the toddler and preschool years, fighting over toys and attention from Mom and Dad will be a regular occurance.

Have them give Christmas and birthday gifts to their siblings. Limit times with peers. Make them include each other in activities. Make them tell others that their best friend is their sibling.

On birthdays, have them write out “10 Things I Love About ________.” Train them to be happy for each other when their siblings do well in some effort.

Esau. So teach your children to resolve their conflicts. It will require intentional practice. It’s not natural. Too many parents let their kids “work it out by themselves” with no instruction. The result is resentment, especially in younger, weaker, or outnumbered children.

Encourage your children to be their siblings’ best friends.

Tattling is also okay when the child is seeking honest justice, such as when your child tells you who vandalized the school with spray paint.

Aside from the above, is tattling ever okay? Yes. Tattling is okay when the child is concerned about the health and safety of the offender.

One thing you can do is teach your children to inform you before one of their siblings or friends do something wrong—not to get them in trouble, but to keep them out of it.

Most kids tattle because they want to see another kid get in trouble. Don’t allow that.