Tag Archives: sibling rivalry

The Cheney Sisters and Family Values

We develop our core values, in part, from the early family scripts that we internalize. As we grow up, it’s through our unique personality, chosen partners and personal life experiences that we continue to weave the tapestry of our sibling bonds. Like the archetypal tale of Rachel and Leah, relationships with sisters can be a mix of love and rivalry, pride and resentment, cooperation and inflexibility. We all know that sibling rivalry is normal. In fact, disagreements between sisters are so common they’re often dismissed as part of growing up. … Continue reading

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How to Manage Sibling Conflict

Tuesday’s blog focused on new research findings – that those who experience psychological aggression, whether from siblings or peers, have increased levels of depression, anger and anxiety. Today, let’s look at how your family can prevent sibling conflicts from accelerating. As parents, we have to ask the hard questions about our kids – is there an imbalance of power, is one usually the victim, are the aggressive behaviors persistent, is there ever an intention to harm? We also need to see the part that we play – do we have … Continue reading

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Sibling Aggression and Mental Health

Isn’t sibling rivalry normal? Fights between sisters and brothers are so common they’re often dismissed as just a part of growing up. If you have siblings, of course you’ve affected each other. But a recent study from the University of New Hampshire finds that sibling aggression is associated with increased levels of depression and anxiety in children and adolescents. The researchers, among the first to study sibling aggression across a wide age and geographic range, analyzed data from a sample of over 3,500 children, ages one through 17. They looked … Continue reading

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The Sibling Bond and Aging Parents

We just got home from the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina and a reunion with my husband’s brothers and their wives. Visiting with family always reminds me of how the internal scripts and imprinted patterns that shape us continue their impact throughout our lives. I guess a broad range of emotions weave the tapestry of family life for all of us. Like the sagas of Cain and Abel or Rachel and Leah, stories about sibling bonds are fascinating. Archetypal tales interest us because relationships with our own brothers and … Continue reading

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