Ways to encourage sibling bonding

I need help with this. My kids are 4 years apart and one is a girl and one is a boy and they are very different and they constantly fight. I have tried to have the read to each other and they fight about that. They do not like any of the same things and cannot even watch TV together because they do not like the same type of shows, so they fight.

Mine, a girl and a boy, are also four years apart, though younger than yours, Kim. For the most part they still get along pretty well, though they do have their moments, that's for sure. I hope it doesn't change too much as they get older.

mine are all fairly close in age ds is turning 14 a month after second ds turns 12 and then my dd turns 11 4 months later.  Somedays they are the best of friends - somedays they want nothing to do with each other.  The best is one minute they are arguing and as soon as I come in to either separate them or put in my 2 cents - they "love" each other!!!  I hope they stay close - I was/am close to my siblings and my dh is close to his as well.  I guess only time will tell.

Mine are 27 months and still have that same love-hate relationship. Luckily though 90% of the time they get along...but when they don't- Oh look out!


Off the top of my head- some things they like doing together - swimming(let me tell you, 12x12, intex pool- BEST investment this summer!) , the slip n slide (I'm thinking summer activities here), scavenger hunts on a walk or in the neighborhood (I make a list of fairly common things in the neighborhood and the have to mark off as many as they see on our evening walk). They're older but still LOVE sidewalk chalk- this summer I think we'll try for a mural on our driveway Science experiments are fun anytime of the year...and there are a TON you can do with household items.

Everyone has different personalities that no matter what they will never get along.

 

My sister and I get along 98% of the time.

 

My sister and I get along with our brother 3% of the time. But is personality makes it almost impossible to stay in the same room with him 5 minutes.

When my kids fight (generally the 11 yo with the 3 &4 tr olds) I make her be kind. She will have to spend a set amount of time playing games, reading, doing crafts or playing with them WITH a good attitude. This usually works because it forces 11 yr old to change gears from annoyance and meanness into having fun and enjoying them. 9 out of 10 times they fight because the 3 &4 yr old want her attention. Once they get it they calm down. There are some days though that this doesnt work so they have to run laps around the house until they calm down. Also effective to just stop the fighting.

My mom used to literally tie us together. We usually fought about personal space (the world ended if someone blatantly put any part of their body over the edge of their cushion on the couch for example) She got sick of that petty crap (I'm suprised she didn't just kill us) and whipped out the clothesline one day. Oh boy. The Great Cushion Meltdown of 1994 didn't look so bad after that    

 

My siblings and I got along great when we had mutual hatred of something/someone and could gang up together. How do you feel about martyring yourself for the greater peace of the household? LOL

 

 

*knock on wood* my kids get along really well for the most part. Maybe because ds is older and not the other way around? I find he's more protective and humors her when he has zero interest in what she is doing or talking about, whereas older girls tend to just be more controlling which obviously doesn't go over well with the younger siblings. If they do get at each others throats I just separate them