Let’s be honest: families where siblings get along perfectly all the time are the stuff of fairy tales. In most homes, daily life is a blend of affection, teasing, and the occasional slammed door. A little bickering is perfectly normal — but when tension between kids starts to outweigh the laughter, parents can’t help but wonder if it’s just sibling rivalry or something more serious.

According to Dr. Claire McCarthy, MD, a pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, sibling rivalry is “a remarkably normal feature of family life” that can actually help kids build resilience and social skills. But when competition crosses the line, it can also damage self-esteem and strain family relationships. The key, experts say, is knowi

See Full Page