Moody Daughters...

Tell them if you have to listen to it, they can each take 2 jobs off the chore list. If you have to solve it, they can take 3 each. That would be things like washing out the kitchen trash can, cleaning the toilet, vacuuming out the car, pulling weeds, etc. (Not things that are their regular or expected chores but the stuff that no one gets to.)

Tell them if no one's bleeding ,on fire, or sitting in a pile of broken glass, you don't need to be involved. You're not their referee.

when they're scratchy with each other, have them play separately. if they won't play without grumping, give them some chores to keep them occupied.
their moodiness is their problem. you don't have to make it yours.
khairete
S.

Designate time every day that they must be on their own/play alone. OR, wait until they get grump with each other and use it as punishment... your call.

My kids always played together very well (boy and girl 3 years apart)... but there were times they just didn't. Those times I told them they were not ALLOWED to play with each other. Couldn't talk to each other, look at each other, touch each other... nothing. Not until I said it was ok.

This could be done even in the car (and often it WAS in the car, especially after school pickup when they were both worn out from the school day).

Usually, it only took about 15 minutes before they were trying to get into not only each other's good graces, but mine, too... so they could joke/play together again.

When mine get growly with each other, I just separate them (they know the voice, and scatter) or we go outside (change up the setting). I say "Right, everyone outside" then they might go play badminton or something, or just take off doing different things out there.

Usually if someone gets cranky, they are either bored, or tired/hungry. Time to have a friend(s) over, or send mine someplace :) I find it just switches up the dynamic a bit to have change.

Nothing wrong with downtime - if one goes off to read and the other one has nothing to do, they help mom bake cookies, etc. Chores is a good one. They will run and find anything else to do instead of chores :)

If there's a lot of arguing going on, I find the route cause. It may be that the older one does not want to play with the younger one. If that's the case, you might have to come up with things for younger one to do separately - if they can't on their own.

Good luck :) We've all been there ...

Separate them as much as possible.
They each need play dates with kids their own age.

When my two get like that I make them exercise, by playing in the sprinkler, or squirting them with the hose or just playing tag or something together. Usually a bit of exercise and outdoor time as a family sets them straight and then they enjoy each other again. Quiet time as mentioned below helps too, as long as it's not screen time. It seems like screen time contributes to the grumpiness here.

Wow. I can not believe you are already feel the summer time annoyance. I will feel your pain, but hopefully not until late July.

-Are you able to put them in a camp for a few hours a day?

-Summer reading? This could be done separately for about an hour. Even if the little one could not last this long, tell her it is quiet time.

When my girls argue and fight, I make them hold hands and skip around the yard several times together. They're 10 and 12, so this really makes them super angry at me, and by the time they're done with their skipping, they love each other again, because they are united against Mean Mommy Who Doesn't Understand Them. ;)

A gf and I would swap kids on bad days - one takes the boys and the other takes the girls and that ended the arguing.

I also told my kids that if I had to intervene they were both going to separate corners. Then I didn't hear the whining of "he did this" cut off by "she did this".

The last thing was if they ever told me they were bored, I gave them a chore to do. They could ask for ideas to play, but bored = chores.

When my grandchildren fight their parents send them to different rooms. They can come out when they're able to not fight. Sometimes they fight because they're hungry or tired. Parents feed them and/or put the 2 yo down for a nap. The kids are 2, 4, 12, 14.

I would probably set up a daily schedule or routine for the days for everyone. Include chores and playtime together and alone. Also throw in a nap for all or quiet time.

You are getting a tween/teen and a small child and their playing is going to change. The tween and hormones are going to be taking over and the mood swings shall commence and she won't want to play with little sister too much in the future so play dates will be good.

Is there a day camp, vacation bible school or library program the older one can attend this summer? Think outside the box a bit. How about the YMCA or something like that for her to go to. If you have a yard, is there a way to make a veggie or flower garden that the older can tend to to keep her busy and out of the little one's way? Are there any day trips you can do as a special like a museum or movie?

We love each other but there are time when we need to be alone and to regroup our thoughts. So good luck and have an enjoyable summer. Remember this too shall pass into something else. Take pictures and put them in the family album.

Well, to a 9 year old, 5 is pretty much an annoying baby. I would separate them. Do not expect your 9 year old to provide entertainment for your 5 year old. If they are playing together, that's fine...but your 9 year old is not responsible for keeping the 5 year old busy or happy. If they're tired of one another, separate them. Send the 9 year old out to play with her friends.

I do suggest that you find some out of the house stuff for them to do. Not every day, but on a couple days a week. Scouts, swimming lessons, music lessons, tumbling, pottery painting...and both of them don't need to do these. Your 9 year old could do music lessons and your 5 year old swim lessons...if they're on differing days, that means that they'll have one-on-one time with you, which can be helpful in heading off some of that moody behavior.

Good luck.

My sister and I are 2.5 years apart in age. As adults we're close but as kids we fought more often than we got along. There was nothing mom could do about it other than make sure we were not forced into each other's company.

My kids are 21 months apart and get along most of the time. When they are arguing, I separate them and make them be in separate rooms.