How to Stop Twins Fighting

If you̵7;ve been blessed with a set of twins, you̵7;ll have double the memories and love, but you may also have to pull out some creative parenting skills to keep your household running smoothly. If you expect your twins to share every toy, interest and moment, it may lead to resentment, fighting or complaining. Each twin is a unique individual that deserves to be treated as such and, if you approach your kids with this concept in mind, you̵7;ll see positive results.

Things You'll Need

  • Paper
  • Pencil
  • Stickers
  • Toys
  • Toy bins
  • Games
  • Books
  • Masking tape
  • Kitchen timer

Instructions

    • 1

      Establish some household rules. With some paper and a pencil, write down a list of unacceptable behaviors and consequences for breaking these rules. For instance, you can add ̶0;No hitting, name-calling, teasing, bullying or stealing̶1; to the list and ̶0;Loss of TV time for the evening̶1; if a child breaks the rules. A timeout can also be an effective way to separate the twins if they start to fight or break the rules. One minute for each year of age in an unexciting part of the house should be sufficient -- just make sure the kids are in different rooms or separate areas of the room. Give one warning and then enforce the consequence. Be consistent; otherwise, consequences and rules are not as effective. Offering rewards, such as stickers, for positive behavior choices also works well.

    • 2

      Praise each child for his accomplishments and efforts. Let both twins know how proud you are of them and show your unconditional love regularly. Use kind words, smiles, pats on the back, high-fives, shoulder squeezes and kisses to show that you care for both children.

    • 3

      Buy separate items for each twin. Let them dress in different clothes. Buy them different birthday gifts and cakes. Allow the twins to each have her own bin full of toys that she likes.

    • 4

      Let each twin participate in his own activities and foster individual interests. Don̵7;t force one to participate in an activity simply because his brother does.

    • 5

      Give each twin one-on-one time. Set aside 15 to 30 minutes every day for each child and let her choose the activity for that time. Read a bedtime story separately for each child and allow for adequate cuddle time. Switch up which child goes first each night or rotate which parent reads to each twin.

    • 6

      Designate personal space for each twin, especially if they share a bedroom. Masking tape on the floor can help establish boundaries. If they are playing in the living room or family room, assign them each a section of the room if they tend to fight. If you uphold this rule, there should be less fighting over stolen toys or invading of space.

    • 7

      Utilize a kitchen timer. This can be used to designate an allotted playtime for a coveted toy or item. When the timer goes off, after five or so minutes, switch. The timer also comes in handy if you need to put the twins into timeout for fighting.

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