Cultivating Friendships between Siblings

    

    I believe the desire of every mom's heart is for her children to be the best of friends.  I know this is something I think about quite often.  What can I do to cultivate this as a mom?

1.  I can encourage them to work out their issues on their own.

2.  I can provide a home in which I do not compare the children to one another.

3.  I can provide a home where tearing down one another, name calling, and aggravating one another is not acceptable.

4.  I can praise them when I see them choosing to get along or choosing to be kind to a sibling. (Check out my kindness jar post.)

5.  MOST IMPORTANTLY, I can pray God's Word over them.

Here are the scriptures  I have collected from the Message Bible to pray over them:

God, help them not to be hot headed or quick tempered with one another.  Prov 14 MSG

God, remind them to respond gently to one another.  Prov. 15:1 MSG

Let their words be kind and helpful towards one another.  Prov. 15:4 MSG

Remind them that when they overlook an offense, they bond a friendship.  (in other words help them to tattle less!)  Prov 17 MSG

Prompt them to get along with each other and to be considerate of one another.  1 Cor 1:10 MSG

God, help them to find common ground with each other.  1 Cor 9:22 MSG

Lord, may they speak encouraging words to one another and build one another up.  1 Thes 5 MSG

May their love for one another grow.  2 Thes. 1:3  MSG

Help them to love one another deeply.  1 Pet 1:22 MSG

Let them be agreeable, sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble towards one another.  1 Pet. 3

Remind them not to compare themselves to one another.  Gal 5 MSG

Help them to agree with each other, love each other, and be deep spirited friends.  Phil 2 MSG

God, may they be even tempered with one another, content with second place, and quick to forgive each other.  Col 3:13 MSG