Sibling Rivalry and Parental Care Leads to Eruption

Sibling Rivalry and Parental Care Leads to Eruption!

Ever had to intervene with regard to two or more siblings providing parental care. I know I have had to do this many times. We are in the business of providing financial advice. How can we be expected to help clients through sibling rivalry when providing care for parents!

The reality is that parental care is rarely equitable.  One sibling may provide more caregiving, monetary support or a combination of all the above.  One sibling may feel slighted from their parents and want to provide as little support as possible.  When there are more siblings there tend to be more disagreements.  Whatever the case, it is important to get ahead of the disagreements for the betterment of parents. 

I have found two easy to read articles that can serve as a basis for helping siblings to work together for their parents.  The Sibling Survival Guide serves to provide logical steps for siblings to work as a team.  AARP provides some easy steps for siblings to get along while they care for their aging parents. 

I have outlined some tips to help siblings become a dream team versus bitter rivals.

1.        Develop a plan of action

2.       Set up monthly/bi-monthly meetings to make sure everyone is aware of the situation and can make decisions cohesively

3.       Make decisions together

4.       During EARLY discussions make sure each sibling is comfortable and proficient with handling tasks     

5.       Voice limitations (and be allowed to do so) as long as you are prepared to make up in other ways

Are you ready to put the work in to be a better advisor to your clients?