December 24th, 2018 / 0 Comments

Leading up to the holiday season, many parents search far and wide for the items on their child’s wish list. Despite the thought and love that parents put into gift choices for their family, children may still express jealousy over their brother or sister’s gift. Children’s National psychologist Eleanor Mackey, PhD, explains gift jealousy and offers tips for parents on preventing and managing gift jealousy among siblings.
While some parents may worry whether gift jealousy among their children is normal, Mackey reassures parents it’s perfectly natural. “It’s a normal part of development. Parents shouldn’t worry about it,” Mackey said.
Mackey said that children are learning to protect their territory, whether it’s over their room, toys or even gifts. She explained that kids can get territorial with their belongings because they don’t have a lot and as they begin to look at their sibling’s possessions they may feel jealous of their belongings. In fact, Mackey said it’s important for children to feel jealous and learn how to appropriately deal with their feelings because it teaches them healthy strategies as they grow up.
“It’s all healthy as long as they can cope with it appropriately and it doesn’t get in their way,” Mackey said.
The signs of gift jealousy can range and are dependent on the age of the children, Mackey explained. More specifically, Mackey noted that little children, who do not fully comprehend the situation or their feelings, may just grab a gift out of their sibling’s hands, which could lead to a tug-of-war. With slightly older children, Mackey said signs of gift jealousy could include crankiness, moodiness or whining.
Mackey explained that parents should look at gift jealousy as an opportunity to teach children acceptance, appropriate behavior and how to cope with their feelings. “It’s something you can work on all year, but something you’re going to see a lot more of during the holidays,” Mackey said.
Mackey recommended that parents use a three-step plan to help prevent and manage gift jealousy when it arises.
How do you deal with gift jealousy among siblings? Share your tips in the comments below.
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