Sibling rivalry is a very common phenomena to deal with in the homeschool classroom. While a little competition is good, it needs to stay within limits to be productive. The homeschool teacher needs to remain calm and objective so that the fight does not degenerate into a full fledged blow out that results in a total loss of productivity for the day. Having a set of basic ground rules to follow, aids tremendously.
Establish Who’s In-charge
The homeschool students need to know that the homeschool parent is always in charge. They will push your limits, but you need to have clear and concise reactions to any misbehavior that may show up. Treat them with respect, but make sure they know who’s in-charge. Also make sure that you don’t play favorites. They need to know you as the authority figure who is fair and following the rules you set keeps them safe. At the same time they must feel that they can come to you when they need help.
Allow Different Perspectives
Arguments can spark within minutes on the silliest of issues between siblings, so as the homeschool teacher you need to be on the look out for potential arguments that may crop up and eliminate the root cause. However there may come some times when both the homeschool students have valid points in their favor and as you make the final decision, you need to help them understand that just because they think differently and have different perspectives does not make the other person wrong.
Intervene Only if Essential
Most of the time the petty squabbles that the homeschooled siblings get into are resolved within a few minutes. So don’t jump in at the very first sign of a fight. Try to give them time to resolve the problem on their own. Kids need the practice to handle situations on their own. The homeschool teacher must only intervene when they are going around in circles and unable to find a solution to resolve the situation. If your kids are fighting at every chance they get, there may be a need to step in and correct them.
