Ep. 6 Sibling Rivalry - Dad Group

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The Dad group opens with Joe who is dealing with his two daughters who are "constantly fighting over fairness." It turns out all of the group participants have at least two children and they are all dealing with sibling rivalry in one form or another. Maribeth's advice, when dealing with a fight that breaks out in a different room, is to stay out of it completely unless there is blood. The kids work it out on their own and see the real effects of their actions on others. They get valuable practice in how to relate with another person.

Griff also has two children who are very competitive with each other. He wants to make sure the younger sibling get some wins and holds his son back occasionally to give her a win. Maribeth offers some strategies to bring the older child in as a co-conspirator to throw the race sometimes. When done in an open and fun way, this gives the younger kid some wins and the older kid a sense of empathy.

Jay is dealing with a jealous older child who is severely allergic to peanuts while the younger one is not. Jay's also worried about how his older son is not following simple directions and seems to be tuning out. Maribeth believes he is just overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with anxiety about the peanuts, overwhelmed with questions, and overwhelmed with learning how to be a sibling. She asks that they slow things down, help him process, and help him learn how to be a sibling.

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