ABSTRACT
Jealousy is a painful and rather unacceptable emotion linked to insecurity that is nonetheless at the root of much tension and conflict within family situations. Children's jealousy can be triggered off very easily by competition for adult attention. Children experience jealousy when they feel anxious about the availability of love and attention from the adults or friends who are most important to them. Jealousy is therefore a complex emotion. Because jealousy involves complicated emotions, children with a tendency towards jealousy can be difficult and unpredictable in their behaviour. Parents need to be very careful not to fall into a vicious circle with a jealous child by misinterpreting their difficult behaviour simply as deliberate naughtiness. Jealousy is very commonly triggered by the arrival of a new baby or person in the family, particularly if the child is at an age or stage when they need a lot of adult attention.
