How to Handle Sibling Rivalry During School Holidays Without Losing Your Mind

The school holidays are brilliant, aren’t they? Six weeks of lie-ins, day trips, and quality family time. That’s the dream, anyway. The reality often involves breaking up the fourteenth argument before lunch and wondering why your kids can’t just get along for five minutes. If you’re dealing with sibling rivalry during school holidays, you’re definitely not alone. And no, you’re not failing as a parent.

Why School Holidays Make Sibling Rivalry Worse

During term time, your kids have natural breaks from each other. School, clubs, different friendship groups. But throw them together 24/7 for weeks on end and suddenly every little thing becomes a battleground. Who sits where in the car. Whose turn it is on the tablet. Who got more juice in their glass. It’s exhausting.

The thing is, sibling rivalry isn’t a sign that something’s wrong. It’s actually pretty normal. Kids are learning how to navigate relationships, share resources, and assert themselves. They’re just doing it loudly. And often while you’re trying to make dinner.

Give Them Space (Even When Space Is Limited)

One of the best things you can do is create opportunities for your kids to have time apart. This doesn’t mean booking separate holidays. It can be as simple as setting up different activities in different rooms. One child reading in the living room while the other plays upstairs. Structured alone time can work wonders.

Speaking of reading, getting your kids absorbed in a good book is genuinely one of the easiest ways to buy yourself some peace. If your lot are into screens anyway, ebooks are a great middle ground. You might find something they’ll love in the Gaming & Tech section if they’re gadget-obsessed. Or perhaps a story from the Travel & Adventure collection might spark their imagination and give you a solid hour of quiet.

Stop Trying to Be the Referee

Here’s something that took me ages to learn. You don’t have to solve every argument. Jumping in every time actually makes things worse because your kids start relying on you to fix things instead of working it out themselves. Unless someone’s about to get hurt, try stepping back.

A simple “I trust you two to sort this out” can be surprisingly effective. Will there be grumbling? Absolutely. But over time, they’ll start developing actual conflict resolution skills. And you’ll save yourself a headache.

Plan Activities That Encourage Teamwork

Competition fuels rivalry. So where possible, set up activities where your kids have to work together rather than against each other. Building a den. Making lunch together. Even playing a cooperative video game instead of a versus mode.

You could also try a family reading challenge. Pick books from the Calibre Books catalogue and see if everyone can finish their chosen title by the end of the holidays. It’s not competitive in a sibling-war sense, but it gives them something to chat about that isn’t whose fault it was that the Lego tower collapsed.

Remember This Phase Won’t Last Forever

I know it doesn’t feel like it when you’re separating two screaming children for the third time before 9am. But they will grow out of this. Sibling relationships often become some of the strongest bonds people have as adults. Right now you’re just in the messy middle bit.

So take a breath. Lower your expectations a bit. And accept that some days will be chaos. You’re doing better than you think. And the holidays will end eventually. Probably right when you’ve finally got the hang of things.

Browse related titles in our catalogue: Gaming & Tech and Travel & Adventure — all available as instant downloads at Calibre Books.