Any ideas on how to stop competitiveness between kids?
I've never really encouraged this between my boys (who are 4.5 and almost 3), but they've picked it up from somewhere. They've always got to be first, or they've got to beat, or win, or whatever. They get into huge fights over who gets to climb in the car first, or up the stairs first, or who gets their dinner first, or who finished eating first, etc. And it's driving me crazy.
We don't play any competitive games, nor do I try to get them to do things by saying, "Let's see who can get their shoes on first!" Sometimes I'll explain logical consequences in those terms.. like, "Well, Lachlann picked out the blue cup because he got dressed quickly and was the first in the kitchen" - but that's only when Colwyn is throwing a fit because *he* wanted the blue cup (or vice versa.. they're both equally like this).
Any advice for how I can get them to stop worrying about who beat, or won, or was first?
And while I'm here.. do anyone else's kids totally focus on, like.. a color? Everything has to be blue, and if one of them has something blue and the other doesn't, oh, the tantrums.. I was mortified the other day at my midwife's appointment when Lachlann started sobbing because Colwyn had a blue Little People mommy, and he wanted one, too..
I've never really encouraged this between my boys (who are 4.5 and almost 3), but they've picked it up from somewhere. They've always got to be first, or they've got to beat, or win, or whatever. They get into huge fights over who gets to climb in the car first, or up the stairs first, or who gets their dinner first, or who finished eating first, etc. And it's driving me crazy.
We don't play any competitive games, nor do I try to get them to do things by saying, "Let's see who can get their shoes on first!" Sometimes I'll explain logical consequences in those terms.. like, "Well, Lachlann picked out the blue cup because he got dressed quickly and was the first in the kitchen" - but that's only when Colwyn is throwing a fit because *he* wanted the blue cup (or vice versa.. they're both equally like this).
Any advice for how I can get them to stop worrying about who beat, or won, or was first?
And while I'm here.. do anyone else's kids totally focus on, like.. a color? Everything has to be blue, and if one of them has something blue and the other doesn't, oh, the tantrums.. I was mortified the other day at my midwife's appointment when Lachlann started sobbing because Colwyn had a blue Little People mommy, and he wanted one, too..
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