Question: Why is it important to not ignore sibling rivalry?
Answer: While it is not good to step into your teen's conversations, frustrations and bickering to fix everything, it is also not good to pretend you don't hear it. Kids can have problems that parents need to address, but the only people who see these problems are their siblings. Open communication with your children is the key to address the issues of fighting between siblings and catching any other problem that might be at the center of it all.
For example, if your oldest teen starts hanging out with a new set of friends that is into the drug scene, you can bet that your younger teen knows and will fight with him about it. The only way to help both teens at this point is to not ignore the fact that they are fighting and to use open communication with both of your teens.
