
Stop Playing Referee: How to End Sibling Fights Without Picking a Winner
From Peace and Parenting: How to Parent without Punishments by Michelle Kenney, M. Ed
May 5, 2026 · 28 min · Episode 436
About this episode
Michelle Kenney shares a 12-step protocol to help parents manage sibling fights without taking sides.
Your kids fight six to eight times an hour. That's not a parenting failure, that's biology. The failure is in how most of us respond. In this episode, I'm walking you through the exact 12-step Sibling Rivalry Protocol I used in my own house when the fighting was so constant I felt like I was on duty as a referee every hour of every day. You'll learn why "who started it?" is the worst question you can ask, why comforting the child who caused the hurt is the move that changes everything, and the one role shift — from judge to coach — that ends the cycle for good. Feeling called to bring this work to other parents? Our Coaching Certification Program trains you to do exactly that. DM me CERTIFICATION on Instagram for details. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
People in this episode
Host: Michelle Kenney
Topics covered
- sibling rivalry
- parenting strategies
- conflict resolution
- coaching
- family dynamics
Keywords
- sibling fights
- parenting without punishment
- conflict management
- coaching parents
- family relationships
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Peace and Parenting Community
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