Over the years parents have learned it deal with sibling rivalry. Conflict among siblings isn't unique to humans; it happens in just about every animal species that raises several young at the same time. Human children don't usually compete for basic food and shelter; however they usually compete for love, attention, time and approval. We wouldn't be human if every now and then we didn't get mad at a brother or sister (Bode 3). Parents just have to know the right way to deal with sibling conflict.
Siblings have to share the one or two people they want the most "their parents. Sibling rivalry generally occurs for one or two reasons: (1) Children are trying to9? Find out who the are and separate from their sibling, (2) Children feel that they are receiving unequal amounts of attention, discipline, and/ or responsiveness from the parents (Nagel 1). Sigmund Freud believed that sibling rivalry was solely due to the second reason. Nowadays most researches recognize that parents can be treating their children as equals, but children still may feel treatment is unequal (Parenthood 2). Most human families share sibling rivalry. As mentioned in the beginning, sibling rivalry is not a new problem. .
Some things that may contribute to sibling rivalry are the following: siblings being of different sexes, different ages, and temperaments. Sex plays a major role in sibling rivalry. For instance, a son may hate his sister because his father may seem gentler towards his sister. The sister may hate the brother because the father may take him hunting/ fishing and she may be left behind. Children who are closer in age usually experience the most sibling rivalry and the younger they are the more likely they are to bicker among each other. Children born into a family holding a different position (the first born, the middle born, ect.), therefore they fell. They must portray or project their position.
