Clearly they are getting something out of the bickering, or they wouldn't do it.
I guess, but if you're thinking it's attention, I don't think so.
They are getting huge amounts of attention from each other by doing this. And it is surprising the extent to which negative attention is still attention.
All they ever get is "Stop it! Both of you stop! I don't want to hear it!" or varieties thereof. Not very productive/positive/creative, but I don't take sides.
It's OK (and productive) for parents to show kids where the line is.
Separation is impractical because it's so constant, and we need to do things like eat together and do activities together and ride in the car. We have gone so far as to impose silence in the car when it gets bad, but it feels kind of awful to do that.
I've done it. (We call it "the cone of silence.") It is far better than the bickering, and again, teaches them that their bickering is unpleasant and unacceptable for the people around them.
It is reasonable for you as a person to insist on civility in your environment.
