www.marissa.co How to Stop Children Squabbling

Parenting Tip – How to negate children squabbling

A quick and easy strategy to assist when children squabble. Simple, effective and one that you can use time and again. How to negate children squabbling is high on most carers, parents and grandparents agendas.

I had a system with my two children called odd day, even day. At the start of discussing this strategy with the children, we tossed a coin to see who would be odd and who would be even. Depending on the calendar day, say the 27th July, the person who was the odd-numbered day, would do all the things that they would squabble about and the fun stuff first.

For example:

-Who would sit in the front of the car

-Who would set the table

-Who would choose the movie etc

– Who would run the bath

-Who would bath first

-Who would help to cook (although I encouraged them both to help daily)

-Who would clear the dishes etc

The next day the sibling who chose the even number would do everything that needed to be done that day first.

Honestly, this took all the squabbling out of our days. No more: ‘But I did it last time’ ‘You never do anything, I always have to do it all, ‘Why do you always ask me and not…!’. Does any of this sound familiar? This worked seamlessly for years.

It was easy with 2 children, however, you could use timetables or the days of the week to help you make this work for more than two children. If you are a sole parent with an only child, you can be part of the odd and even equation.

My children were only 4 and 6 at the time I started this and it worked for years. As a joke, the other day we were driving somewhere together (they both have their cars and rarely are driven by me) and they were deciding who would sit in front. I said ‘is it an odd day or an even day’ as a joke and we laughed!

I hope this tip helps you, it was my saviour for many years.

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The photo shown is of my two wonderful children.