He Said, She Said

            "We cannot get our children to stop fighting," Mrs. "Little Bobby and Susie never leave each other alone. From the moment they get up in the morning until they go to bed, they are incessantly bothering each other. The fights always end with someone getting hurt. We do not know what to do. My husband and I are at our wit's end." Among parents, especially in parenting groups, a commonly discussed topic is sibling quarrels. Parents want to know what causes the fights and how to deal with them. The mothers and fathers complain about how something as insignificant as where to sit when watching television can ignite a never-ending string of bickering. While all of the parents share the same sentiments, none are exactly sure how to handle a fight between their children. Most have made many attempts to get the mortal enemies to stop their fighting, but to no avail. No one has found a foolproof method. The worst of it is that if children fight when they are young, the ramifications affect them throughout their entire lives.
             Get out of her seat; give back his shoe; do not eat her cookie; stop poking him; do not hit her. These are all commonly heard phrases in a family containing quarreling siblings. Parents hate to deal with the fighters; furthermore, they become tired of playing referee. Although no one is sure what causes siblings to fight, jealousy is most often blamed for the tiffs brothers and sisters have. However, this emotion is not always the responsible party. Unpleasant moods, an excellent mood, high spirits, excess energy, any number of reasons have been attributed to causing conflicts between children. Even the desire to win can cause a fight. The effects of their quarrels, while not often discussed or considered, tend to outweigh the causes.
             The immediate effects of a quarrel are quite obvious - the entire household is put in a foul mood. Everyone snaps at each other, has little patience, and is visibly frazzled.