Sibling rivalry is an enormous issue in many families - and even in the most harmonious families, I am sure there must be times when siblings pick on each other and fight - often over the most petty things. I know a family with now grown-up children who used to drive their mother mad with their quarrels. She has told me that if just two of her three children were playing together they would be fine, but the presence of a third children was when you could expect trouble. I often laugh about the story she told me once of when they were out on a long drive and her son said, "Mum, she's LOOKING at me!" His mother assured him that if that was the worst the offending sister ever did to him, then he'd be doing all right! Those siblings now seem to get on very well and I've been with them when they have been laughing about some of those petty childhood squabbles.

My mother used to visit a family where the four children were always at each other's throats. It certainly wasn't pleasant for her as the visitor. Fortunately the long-suffering mother was a very easy-going person.

Sibling rivalry is something I haven't had a lot to do with personally. I grew up as an only child. Our little girl, who is 9 years old, is profoundly disabled and cannot fight with her younger brother, who is nearly 6. I'm sure they would have had plenty of squabbles by now if they could have done. He likes to take advantage of being able to play with her toys without her snatching them back and getting mad with him. Maybe she would have been good at sharing anyway - but surely any little girl would at least sometimes get annoyed with her younger brother meddling with her stuff.

One day not long ago he was wanting to play with a new little toy which I had placed in her hand. I think it might have been from a Happy meal and he had another one himself. When he asked could he play with her toy I asked her whether she minded and felt she was indicating that she did. So I told him that she'd said no. He then raced out of the room wailing, "You're mean, Amy!" We laughed because it was the first time he'd ever said anything like that to her - and if ever a child could not justifiably be accused of being mean, it's our little angel. Within a few minutes he was back though and had got over it.

Our little boy has always known that his sister is very special and is to be treated accordingly. He's absolutely beautiful with her. I sometimes worry that he might think we love

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