We told her she could pay for one if she really wanted it. They often want what they see someone else has or what they see on TV, but they are rarely serious about it. Elias reassures parents that envy is fleeting in younger children, and may help them learn about differences between themselves and other people. Children are not going to be devastated by an explanation, but they might need to hear it again and again. Elias urged parents to stand their ground in the face of material jealousy.
Many parents find that a useful thing to do.
Early signs of envy show up in body language, she said. The best antidote to jealousy caused by sibling rivalry, she's found, is for her, her husband or her mother to spend time alone with each child. Her husband Roland has noticed jealousy can be more pronounced among the siblings than with their friends. But at home, he has got to be the faster one. Still, there are times when they are at a loss for words.