For those w/ 2 or more.

aforst

I feel like we spend SO much time telling DS1 to "get off your brother"  "don't push your brother" "leave him alone" "keep your hands to yourself", etc.  The times it's the worst are when we are just at home and they are playing together.  DS1 is generally very nice and loving towards DS2.  I just wonder if this is typical sibiling behavior?  It just seems likes he's always doing something to "hurt" him.  I say "hurt" b/c it's not really hurting, just sitting on him, or taking a toy from him, something to make him cry.  It's annoying.  DS2 thinks DS1 is the greatest thing ever, so he keeps going back for more. 

We do put DS1 in time-out for more serious offenses towards DS2.

schnappycat

Yep, I could have written this post. DS is soooo mean to DD and it makes me sad. He's really great when she is napping, but the minute she is up, his jealousy kicks in and he takes it out on her. Pinching, pushing, taking toys, grabbing, even hitting her. It's been terrible. He has full on admitted it's because he hates that she gets attention from me. And DS gets plenty of attention in his own right, so it's not that it's unfairly balanced. I'm not quite sure what more to do about it. I hope it will pass as she gets older. But she worships him, too, so it makes me sad. 

I have no additional advice for you, but know you aren't alone! 

d&a914

I'm dealing with this too! It gets on my nerves so bad, but DD loves the attention most of the time. DS just tends to get to rough at times. I'm constantly telling to not touch her. I hope once she starts walking it will get better.

RHitch

I am also dealing with this.  I am constantly telling DD to leave DS alone.

Worcbride

I too could've written the original post :-)  I put DD in time out if it's a serious offense...like hitting or pushing.  Otherwise, she loses the toy she took from DS. 

Pesky

We've had a bit of that but not too bad, more due to DD's personality than anything.  I also make sure to really praise them when they are acting nicely towards each other and have noticed both going out of their way to act nice to each other to get that praise.

ridesbuttons

I've been living this since DS2 became mobile: around the 5 month old mark. 

They are a year and a half apart.  I'm counting the days 'til they can take it out of earshot.

ETA: they are now 4 years old and 2.5 years old.

LoveEeyore

ridesbuttons:

I've been living this since DS2 became mobile: around the 5 month old mark. 

They are a year and a half apart.  I'm counting the days 'til they can take it out of earshot.

ETA: they are now 4 years old and 2.5 years old.

HAHAHA!

OP- When DD was doing it too the twins, I would pretend she was doing something affectionate and appropriate- so say she was poking her.  I'd jump down and praise her for tickling her, or teaching her the colors on her shirt, and then I would engage in that play with the baby until DD#1  joined in and could get genuine praise for positive interaction.

If she was trying to make them cry by taking a toy or tapping them with a toy, I'd scream excitedly like she thought of the best thing ever and and praise her for teaching nursery rhymes using the bear.  Then I'd snatch the bear and recite nursery rhymes for babies and make the doll dance or something. 

I focused on "catching her being good" and "taking what she is doing  and praising her for what I WANTED her to do, model it and because she's a kid in need of attention, she was eager to gain that attention.  

If it was borderline, or I could tell intervention would = explosion, I'd just pick up the babies and sing and dance with them so they were out of reach.  I may or may not be guilty of giving her the hairy eyeball.

TO for anything that was deliberate mean hands or feet.

hokies94

Totally normal sibling behavior.  I'm STILL telling my kids to get off of each other-they're 8, 6 and 2.  Some days are better than others.  

Max'smom

Now that DS2 is older and can hold his own. I am trying to let them work it out themselves to some degree. If someone hits with a toy or bites they go to time out but if it is just rough houseing and now one is crying I let them play.