Adjusting the Sails

Last night at the dinner table I was asking my girls different questions from our conversation jar.  I asked my oldest daughter what she thought was her younger sister's best quality. {The one that's two years younger than her.} She couldn't answer me.  She sat there for 5 minutes trying her hardest to think of something she liked about her sister. She finally looked at me and said, "That she's a weirdo." I couldn't believe it.  I told her that it had to be something nice, and if she couldn't think of one nice thing then maybe she needed to work on that. My younger daughter looked at me and said, "It's because she doesn't like me." So then I proceeded to tell all off the things that I liked about each of them.
Then I, again, asked my oldest daughter, "What do you think makes a good sister." She said, "That they share, are helpful, are nice..." I asked her, "According to what you just said, do you think YOU'RE a good sister?" She sat there for a minute and then said, "Um, sometimes?" I looked at her with wide eyes and said, "Maybe you need to work on that too."
Holy crap!  I can't believe that my own daughter could be so mean to her younger sister. This conversation jar has definitely opened my eyes.  I am glad that my oldest is only 8 and maybe I still have a chance to help this situation.  I LOVE my sisters, and I would HATE to think that my own children didn't grow up feeling the way I do about my siblings.  It really makes me sad.  I guess I need to "work on that."

Here are some ideas I've found:

~Do something nice for the person they are being mean to.
~The two of them spending one on one time with each other and me.
~Write a note to each other
~Draw the other person a picture of them together
~Make a craft together
~Make a treat together and take some to a neighbor

I found this poem that I am going to print off and laminate and give to my oldest daughter.  I really want her to know that she is setting the example of how to be a good sister.  I want her to know that her younger sisters really do look up to her and want to be like her and around her.

I think I'm going to do her's two sided and put this on the back.  Then print one off and give this one to my other daughter. I hope any of this will help.  If anyone has any suggestions, please leave a comment!  I could use all the help I can get on this one!