Sibling Relationships, Core Values, & Lots of Laughs: Val's Four Daughters share the mic! Podcast 41
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Join us today for lots of laughs and lots of honesty!
This episode is a special treat to me - visiting with all four of my daughters together in the studio. We all gathered around the microphone to laugh and to tell the truth about sibling life, family values, fighting fair, and more.
The Practically Speaking MOM podcast is unique in that it's a family podcast - you've met all seven of our children in different episodes (except Nathan, who produces the music and we have an episode lined up for you to meet him later this summer).
My husband, Rich, and I give several hours a week to the podcast and then all the rest of the family chips in with their abilities or experiences.
Here's what we talk about on this special sisters edition of the podcast (I ask questions and they answer them):
💞 What were our CORE FAMILY VALUES and how did we implement them in our home?
*Honesty - with our parents, our siblings, and with ourselves (self-reflection, spiritually, dealing honestly with ourselves and others about reality)"It was the worst trouble we got in, if we ever told a lie." " Trust is the basis for any relationship" "Learning how to confront or look at the truth with someone without offending the other person."
*Valuing Relationships
*Dealing accurately with Reality - dealing with issues without offending
*Grace
*Hard Work - to volunteer and be kind to those in need
*Integrity - doing the right thing
*Mutual Respect
"The way you communicate with others affects so many areas of your life."
💕 What SIBLING RELATIONSHIP BELIEFS did we establish and how?
"One of the most difficult relationships in your life is a sibling relationship. Therefore, it's perfect opportunity to help our children learn how to deal with people well, is by developing a good sibling relationship."
*"God put us in each other's lives on purpose. God specifically orchestrated our family with the people that are in it. Knowing that my siblings were placed in my life on purpose and I was placed in their life on purpose. We're loyal to each other because God specifically orchestrated us to be together."
*We protect each other
*We are loyal to each other
*We are a gift to one another
*Be a blessing to your siblings and learn to be a blessing to everyone God brings into your life.
"If you're feeling upset with your sibling, start by praying about it. What is God doing in your sibling"s life? What does God want YOU to help with HIS work in your sibling's life? Where is God at work in my sibling's life and how can I join God in His work? What role does God have you to play in your sibling's life and are you playing it? How does God want you to grow in this situation? How is God at work in YOU and how can you join Him in that work?"
💞Because children aren't born knowing how to interact in conflict in a healthy way, we have to teach them how. In the podcast we talk about SIBLING SQUABBLES & I share a simple method for teaching kids how to REPAIR RELATIONSHIP...
*Model healthy relationships and repairing relationships in a meaningful way.
*Humanize the other person in the conflict (you have to listen to the podcast to understand)
*Teaching kids the words to say to repair in a relationship (listen to the podcast to hear specific details for this).
*Empathy - realizing that your actions may have hurt your sibling
*How to avoid bitterness and separation in sibling relationships
💕To share bedrooms or not to share sibling bedrooms...
Since all four daughters have at times shared bedrooms and at times had their own rooms, they talk about the pros and cons of each option
*Building LIFE LONG FRIENDSHIPS in the process
*The value of learning how to COMPROMISE
*Line of tape down the middle of the room - did it work?
*Cleaning the room when there's a messy sibling and neat sibling?
*Age gap or close in age when sharing a room
*Sharing but also having personal items
*Right of passage
*Self-control
*Cultivate a closer friendship if the parent teaches kids to maintain healthy sibling friendships
💞Sibling Arguments - Should we let our kids "work it out for themselves" or should we step in to help them resolve conflict?
Healthy relationships is TAUGHT - "The perfect opportunity for teaching kids how to have healthy relationships in their future is to teach them how to have healthy sibling relationships today."
"Our siblings are a gift to each other. God put us purposefully in each others' lives, so how should we respond to that? We spend time with each other, we are loyal to each other, we grow one another, honor one another, be a blessing to each other, defend each other.
"If they work out the argument alone, without any oversight by the parents, the dominate child will dominate and the timid child will be run over. Instead, we want the dominant child to learn how to compromise and 'argue fairly' while the passive child needs to learn how to stand up for themselves."