A Ratopati report datelined Kathmandu says parents’ everyday behaviour can make quarrels between siblings more frequent or difficult to resolve. While minor disagreements between children are normal, the report cautions that comparing them, consistently taking one child’s side and placing too much responsibility on one child can harm the relationship between siblings. It urges parents to recognise and correct habits that may turn ordinary friction into a deeper source of tension at home.
When parental responses add to conflict
The report’s central point is that sibling rivalry is not shaped only by the children involved. The way parents respond to disagreements can also affect how those conflicts develop. A quarrel may be small, but repeated patterns in the way children are treated can influence whether they feel heard and treated fairly. The article therefore asks parents to look at their own conduct, rather than viewing every dispute solely as a problem between their children.
Comparison is one habit the report identifies. Measuring one child against another can make a disagreement about a particular action feel like a broader judgment of the child. It may also put siblings in competition for approval, rather than allowing each child to be treated as an individual. The report’s advice is not to rank children against each other. In practical terms, parents can address the behaviour or issue at hand without using a sibling as the standard by which another child is judged.
Fairness, responsibility and relationships
Another habit highlighted is always taking one child’s side. When a parent repeatedly supports the same child during disputes, the other may feel that their account will not be considered. The report warns that this pattern can damage the children’s relationship. Its point is about the repeated response, not a claim that parents must treat every disagreement as identical or decide that both children are equally responsible. Instead, parents are encouraged to avoid automatic favouritism and pay attention to the circumstances of each quarrel.
The report also cautions against giving one child too much responsibility. This is presented as a habit that can affect relations between siblings, especially when one child is placed in a role that goes beyond what is fair for them. The article’s warning is to consider how responsibilities are distributed, rather than assuming that assigning more to one child is harmless. Parents can review whether expectations are balanced and whether one sibling is being made responsible for too much in relation to the other.
These habits can be connected: comparison can create a sense of ranking, taking sides can make that ranking feel entrenched, and an uneven burden of responsibility can add to perceptions of unfair treatment. That is an interpretation of the concerns described in the report, not a separate finding. Together, they point to the importance of noticing repeated patterns in family interactions, not just reacting to the latest argument.
A call for parents to reflect
The article frames small sibling quarrels as a normal part of family life, while drawing a distinction between occasional disagreements and patterns that may intensify conflict. Its focus is on what parents can change: how they speak about their children, how they respond when the children clash and how they allocate responsibility. The report lists five habits for parents to correct, and highlights comparison, automatically siding with one child and overburdening one child among them.
For parents, the advice is to reflect on whether their responses are consistent and whether each child is being treated as an individual. When a dispute occurs, avoiding comparisons and taking time to consider both children’s positions may help prevent the same conflict from being reinforced by a familiar parental reaction. Reviewing how much responsibility each child carries can also help parents identify an imbalance. The report does not suggest that siblings will never quarrel; rather, it warns that parental habits can contribute to worsening rivalry and says those habits should be corrected.
Ratopati’s report, available in Nepali and English, puts parental self-reflection at the centre of its advice. Its message is that responding fairly and avoiding harmful patterns can matter to the way siblings relate, even when the disagreements themselves are minor.
