Place of Safety

How do you make it so that home is a safe peaceful place - where if you need to be sad or angry it's ok but so that primarily it's a place for relaxing and of emotional and physical safety?

At the moment I'm completely discouraged and to the point of dreading times that the boys are off school because it seems like they fight all the time. And it's not only verbal fights but they can get physical with each other. I don't know how to fix that and make it so it isn't that way. I know that part of the fighting is because they are siblings and 3 1/2 years apart - something I wanted to avoid. I remember when my sister and I fought as kids - it seemed constant. We were close enough in age - not quite 3 years apart - to have some common interests and far apart enough for me to want my own space and time. And I always felt like she was better than me at stuff which didn't help. Anyway due to those memories I always said I wanted my own kids to be either 2 years apart or 5 or more years apart - it didn't happen that way. And now I'm seeing some of the same stuff I went through as a kid and I feel completely helpless. Son 2 is definitely a "high maintance" child - needs someone to play with, doesn't enjoy playing or being alone and does not self-entertain well. I find myself frustrated at times because I don't get stuff done when he's awake because he "has" to have me with him. Son1 is old enough to be involved in outside activities and is very involved.

Of course it would help if I managed to keep my schedule more clear so that I'm home to accomplish stuff during the day - then I would feel more free in the evenings to "entertain" Son2. It's especially difficult because Son2 does not have outside activities yet and because there is no one else to attend Son1's activities.

Ok...enough rambling. Prayers and encouragement would be appreciated for those who read this - and if anyone has any suggestions that would be nice. Thanks for listening to me as I admit this is a depressing post.