Today is National Siblings Day!

Happy National Siblings Day! We already knew about Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Grandparent’s Day, but did you know that siblings have a day as well? Today is the day, and it’s a great opportunity to call up your brothers and sisters to tell them how much you appreciate them. If you have more than one child, then you’ve probably agonized at times over their relationships to one another; it seems that siblings can go from best friends to worst enemies in a matter of seconds, doesn’t it? The good news is that most of us grow up to have amicable relationships with our sibs, even if we fought with them like crazy when we were children. Let your kids know that today is National Siblings Day! Here are a few ways that you might want to celebrate:

• Call your own siblings! If you haven’t talked to your own brother or sister in a while, why not give them a call? I know that I often default to texting, Facebooking and emailing with my two brothers, and that phone calls often get pushed off to “another time.” Make today that time, and make sure your kids know that you’re giving their aunties and uncles a call. This sets a good example for them as to how a friendly sibling relationship works.

• Sit with each child privately to come up with some special way he can honor each brother and sister. Maybe your older child will offer to read to your younger child, or the little one might take over table-setting duty for the big one. Kids could also give each other homemade cards, or they could spend a couple of dollars each on a small gift that the other would like. Encourage them to come up with something that will show the others how much they care.

• Encourage the kids to do something together that requires cooperation. You might give them a project like building a birdhouse or baking a cake that requires a child who can read to help a child who can’t yet. If your kids like jigsaw puzzles, buy a new one and ask them to help each other put it together. Working together toward something fun is a great way to cement the sibling bond.

• Watch a sibling-themed movie or read a sibling-themed book. One recent one that my kids loved was Ramona and Beezus, which is based on the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary. Books that feature siblings working together include the Magic Treehouse series, the Little House on the Prairie books, and the Boxcar Children series. These types of books show kids how siblings can get along and solve problems, even when they annoy each other at times.

If you have more than one child, you know how important it is to the overall family dynamic for them to get along, at least a majority of the time. What are some ways that you encourage your kids to work together and act like friends? Share your best tips with our readers!