sibling fighting

[klynn]

Dr. Michael....just want to say thank you for your book. I've been a single mom for 9 1/2 yrs and was at my end when another parent mentioned your book. I've been reading it when time allows for 3 mos and am finally at the solutions section. But things started changing for us not too far into the book, and for the first time we are enjoying peace in our house as far as the parent/child relationship goes.
I have 3 teens, 3 yrs apart. A son and then two daughters. And they have followed each other like clockwork through the different stages of attitudes, especially since my son is a bit of a late bloomer. So my son (16yrs-9mos) has just recently been coming out of his craziness and his sister (15yrs-3mos) is just on the verge of getting out (especially with 'mom' knowing what she knows now). But then their little sister (13yrs-7mos) has just started entering the phase that they have been going through. And now they have no tolerance for her. Of course I haven't modeled good behavior when they went through it so they are acting so much like I did and I see them losing it with her.
I need some ideas of how to help them. The one idea I have as I am writing this is talking with the two older ones, maybe together, and apologizing to them for being such a bad roll-model. And then letting them know how I see them acting like I did and doing some brain storming to find ways for them to deal with her. I think I'd rather talk to them together, and then maybe they can help each other as well when the problems start.
So I just need some ideas and this was my first stop today in searching for solutions.

[Mike Bradley]

Dear Mom,
WOW! I don't think I could add another word to your wonderful ideas. Please write us to say how this all goes with your kids. By the way, remember that your wise thoughts and actions here will live on in these teens forever, and will resurface when they are faced with their own "crazy" adolescents.
Well done!