PW invited parents of CHIREC International School, Hyderabad to share how they ensure their children bond as siblings

“My daughters Anvika (class II) and Akshara (Nursery) are inseparable, and we do our best to enrich their bonding by teaching them to be mutually understanding and respectful. We give both equal attention and affection so that neither of them feels excluded. We let them sort out their own differences and don’t take sides or become referees in contentious situations. This helps in inculcating the value of listening and understanding other people’s perspectives. We plan fun activities they both love to do together such as dancing, painting, drawing, singing, and playing their favourite games” — Lavanya Akella, business development officer, VAICS Consulting Pvt Ltd

“My daughter Gaurika (Nursery) adores her elder sister Rudrika (PP1) who is equally affectionate towards her young sister. We remind them only when either doesn’t show an act of kindness or caring for the other in terms of sharing treats, toys, or letting the other watch her favourite cartoon first. But quite honestly, their fights help them bond better as they learn to share and accept their differences. Since they do most things together, most of the bonding is purely organic.” — Harshita Chouhan, Joint Commissioner of Income Tax

“The way we bond with our siblings reflects on acts of sharing and caring between our children. I sometimes entrust the responsibility of my twins Arjun (PPII) and Aryan with my daughter Akshara Kiran Anne (class II) when we allow them to play outdoors with their friends without our supervision. This encourages them to resolve any differences between themselves. By encouraging them to help each other in their art projects teaches them to respect each other and their feelings” — Dr. Anusha Dasari, consultant, Internal Medicine, AIG Hospitals

“To help our children — Misha (class PP1) and Nihal (class I) — bond better, we try to encourage at least one shared activity between them every day such as doing artwork or making mud forts together. We team them up for household chores such as emptying the dishwasher, arranging the dinner table etc. We also plan family getaways, mostly child-friendly destinations, where they bond over various activities. Both our children share a passion for reading books, so we encourage them to read books to each other” — Nishita Mahendra Sohini, entrepreneur