Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“Was there a moment recently you felt really proud of your brother or sister?”
What to listen for
If they answer warmly and specifically, they're showing genuine care for their sibling's wins, not just competition, a lovely sign of real bonds forming, not just rivalry.
If they struggle to think of anything, that's not necessarily bad news; it might mean sibling moments have felt more like competition lately, and could use a nudge toward noticing each other's good moments.
If they say "I don't know," mention something you noticed yourself and ask if they saw it too, sometimes they need the memory jogged.
What this tells you
Whether they can easily name pride in a sibling shows how much warmth versus rivalry currently colors that relationship.