It is time to take a look at another question from a concerned parent. “Should I discipline all my kids when one disobeys? Maybe it would result in positive peer pressure.”
The short answer is “no.”
It is not a good idea for everyone to pay the price for one child’s misbehavior. Think of it this way, would you want to receive a speeding ticket because your neighbor exceeded the speed limit? We know the answer.
When corrected by siblings, the offender’s immediate response will most likely be anger. Think once again about your speeding neighbor. Would he want your correction? No one likes to be “bossed” by a contemporary – a neighbor or a sibling.
Sibling pressure might curtail the bad behavior for a time, but in the long run there will be negative ramifications. Using sibling peer pressure almost always causes sibling alienation. Disciplining all for the misconduct of just one is not fair and does lay a good foundation for friendship in the future – with child and parent or between siblings.
In other words, be the parent. Don’t expect your kids to correct or put pressure on one another to behave well. Punish only the perpetrator!
Were you ever punished for a sibling’s poor behavior?
