Help! The dueling duo.

I have 8yr old b/g twins and I am about to my wits end with them. This started about a month before their 8th birthday (April 24th and 25th). They are constantly bickering with each other, taking things from each other, and intentionally annoying each other. None of my usual tactics are working. Any ideas on how to regain family equilibrium?

 

Based on your post about separating them, it sounds like they are spending too much time together and are pushing each other's buttons. I know my boys are always worse during school vacations when they are together for a while. Once school starts back up, and they go to their own classes for 6 hours a day, they do much better with each other at home.

 

My guys are only five but, get this way when they do not get one on one or just time away from each other. After a break, good as new-mostly they ae still brothers after all

 

I think it is because they are siblings and all siblings fight. Even siblings who don't spend a whole lot of time together bicker. Good luck.

 

i think it's their age. i started to see it with our b/b twins at the beginning of 7. to further frustrate me one started hitting the other as well (to the point where i told the victim to knock the crap out of his brother the next time he did it which of course he won't so it just continues). anyways, time out no longer works for them since they have learned patience so sitting down for 10 minutes does nothing. so, i try to have the punishment match what they have done. for example something that has really worked is if one of the hits the other or takes something from the other i make the offender stand with his arms out straight, palms up for 2 minutes repeating "the next time i think about using my hands to XYZ, i will remember my hands today". try this yourself, after about 30 seconds your arms & palms feel like lead. it stops as son as you put your arms down but it's a memorable 2 minutes. if it is a particularly bad incident (like when A hit B in the head with the GI Joe plane 3 times because he was mad), i will make them hold an object in each hand (in the mentioned case 2 GI Joe figures) & that makes it even more difficult to keep your arms out. i learned this in the air force & my husband thought i was nuts the 1st time i did it, but it works & it saves us from having to scream (which i hate) or spank them (which i don't want to do).

 

Thanks for the advice. I'm hoping that when scool is out (12 days yeah!) the bickering will taper off.

 

This is why I dread summer break. Last weekend the twins were fighting and there was a bloody nose and a tooth knocked loose. I have been thinking about activities that keep them away from each other to cut down on the fighting. Btw my b/g twins are 7, and the fights started when they could roll over and slap at each other. At least yours havent been fighting too long.

And I agree that time apart is a wonderful thing.