[raaryount]

When my daughter was born three years ago, the almost five year difference between her brother and her didn't seem so bad. However, my perception began to change last summer. Since then, they can't get along for any length of time. It depends on the day/hour/minute as to which of the two is the instigator. He definitely likes to get her going at times and She is sometimes too sensitive and a bit aggressive. They can't even get along for the ten minutes that it takes us to get home at the end of the day. Away from each other, they are fine. He is extremely well behaved at school and she never gets in any trouble at the babysitters. I can take them anywhere separately and have virtually no problems but if I have the two of them together for any length of time, there will be an argument of some sort. They have very little in common. I feel as if I'm constantly reprimanding and giving them consequences for arguing. Any suggestions on how to get a handle on this situation?

Yeah I have the same thing with my older 2.. they are just about exactly 4 years apart. I have to say that since they are older it has gotten much better. What I had to do was make rules and make those rules known when we would go out. If either would break those rules they would be punished. However if they did get along and not constantly bicker they would get a little surprise at the end. It wasn't anything big, but they would see that when they were getting along mommy would do something special for them. Worked like a charm. Now I don't even get invovled when they are arguing unless they are being loud. But I let them figure it out for themselves.. they are older now though 8&12. So they need to learn to settle their differences themselves. I just need to get a pair of earplugs soon.