By Dana Rosenbloom, www.danaskids.com

Dana Rosenbloom, M.S. Ed, is owner and therapist at Dana's Kids, a group dedicated to providing support and education for families with both typically-developing children, as well as those with special needs, who are struggling with developmental challenges.

Being an aunt to siblings is awesome! It can also be busy and challenging at times. In fact, as I get ready to welcome a new nephew, I wonder about my relationship with him. I know how connected I feel to his brother and what we like to do together. Will the same attachment happen with the new baby? Luckily for me, children and families are my business and my world, so I feel confident that my relationship with my new nephew will be wonderful and different from the one I have with his brother. But it’s not always so easy to come to that belief and it can be even more challenging to interact with siblings when they are together. Here are some thoughts for creating a positive environment for your sibling nieces and nephews.
 
1. Celebrate their differences!
Enjoy each of their individual talents and successes. Try to avoid labeling or pigeonholing them.

2. Set the sibs up to cooperate rather than compete.
For example, have them race the clock to pick up toys instead of racing each other.

3. Concentrate on being individual, not equal. Fair, but not the same.
Different children need different things. Trying to keep all things equal will drive you nuts, plus contributes to an environment of competition, jealousy, and comparisons. Make sure that each of your nieces and nephews know that they will get what they need, when they need it.
 
Setting aside time for each of your nieces and nephews will help you get to know them individually and “really” listen to what is on their minds. Once you have some insight into who they are separately, you’ll be better able to meet their needs, and enjoy them, when they are together!

Published: April 2, 2013