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The 5 Steps to Join ‘The Club of Moms with Fighting Siblings’
by Jessica Lane
Updated: Feb. 19, 2021
Originally Published: July 15, 2017
It’s an undeniable truth of parenting: kids will squabble over the most trivial things. Picture this: your 3-year-old is wailing like a banshee because she can’t catch your 1-year-old, who’s blissfully unaware that they’re supposedly playing tag. Or maybe your 3- and 4-year-olds are grappling like they’re in a wrestling match, both vying for the same Slinky. Heaven forbid they actually play together.
Sibling rivalry has become a rite of passage, leaving parents feeling fatigued and desperately looking for an escape route. When the chaos becomes too overwhelming, mothers reluctantly find themselves inducted into the Club of Moms with Fighting Siblings.
Joining this club comes at a steep price—their sanity. But once accepted, moms embark on a five-step initiation process to connect with others navigating the same tumultuous waters of sibling conflict.
Here are the five steps to gain entry into this club you never wanted to join:
- Shout, “We don’t yell in this house!” as your children scream at each other, finishing with a resolute nod as if you really mean it.
- Consistently remind your feuding kids to use “I feel” statements. And when I say consistently, I mean throughout the entire day. At this point, it’s perfectly okay to settle for “I feel annoyed that you’re a stinky head.”
- Don a pair of sunglasses indoors. The incessant fighting can be quite the eye sore, and studies suggest that sunglasses can shield your vision—and sanity—from the madness.
- Randomly exclaim, “No!” and “That’s inappropriate!” just to keep your little ones on their toes.
- Send your tiny warriors to time out. Then, make your way to the kitchen and pour yourself a glass of wine (or two). Don’t forget to grab that cup of coffee you left in the microwave as a chaser. The wine will soothe your nerves while the coffee gives you a glimmer of hope for better moments ahead.
Congratulations, you’ve just become part of the club that no one wishes to join. After completing the initiation, one question lingers: Is there a complimentary bottle of wine included? Because let’s be real—who can afford all the wine needed to survive this parenting phase?
In a candid conversation, a fellow mom recounted her initiation experience: “It made me seriously consider my husband’s single Christmas wish—a vasectomy. Sometimes I think Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz had the right idea; being swept away by a tornado might not be so bad. But then I’d probably land in a world with even more little people, and honestly, I can’t handle that right now!”
Another club member confessed, “My family assumes I’m working for the insurance company.” She leaned in closer and whispered, “Work is my escape.”
This mom community thrives on sharing these unfiltered truths. It’s a coping mechanism for the mental strain that comes with the initiation.
Despite its hurdles, the Club of Moms with Fighting Siblings also offers some unexpected perks. Mediating sibling squabbles reveals hidden strengths in moms—like the remarkable self-control it takes to resist cursing or the ability to stealthily hide in a closet with a glass of wine.
Moreover, the club serves as a protective haven against the toll of refereeing these little brawls. The side effects of this role can include, but are not limited to, excessive self-criticism, mood swings, the emergence of multiple personalities, irritability, wandering in a daze, disorganized thoughts, and sheer exhaustion.
Above all, the greatest benefit of this club is the sense of belonging it fosters. United by a shared struggle, moms gain insight into their identity and worth. Together (armed with coffee and wine), we can navigate this stage of motherhood. We are strong. We are resilient.
Here’s to you, fellow members of the Club of Moms with Fighting Siblings.
“May the odds be ever in your favor!”
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Summary:
Navigating sibling rivalry is a common yet challenging aspect of parenting. Mothers often find themselves joining the Club of Moms with Fighting Siblings, where they undergo an initiation process that highlights the struggles and triumphs of handling sibling disputes. Through shared experiences and humor, this community offers support and solidarity to help moms cope with the chaos of sibling rivalry.