Sibling rivalry: why is it okay?

Well, not so much sibling rivalry as much as whatever comes along with it.

It seems like bullying is less of an issue when it's a sibling attacking a sibling.

When I was about 7 or 8, my older brother verbally abused me as much as he could, for the longest time. It was like a phase that he went through. He'd tease me until I cried, then tease me because I cried. What confuses me now is the fact that even though I'd told my parents that he was insulting me and wouldn't stop, they pretty much said, "He's your brother, it's what he does. Deal with it."

Just this past summer, I was at a beach in New York, and there was a brother and sister. They were both clever kids, you could tell. But the brother (who was 2 years older than the girl) pretty much scorned everything she said for no reason, insulted her, mocked her to his friends. Right in front of the parents - who did nothing.

I've known people who just abuse their siblings for no reason. To make themselves feel better. The parents should be ON this! What's up?

I may be wrong, but isn't that bullying, regardless of blood relationship? If any kid did this in school, he'd be out on his butt. If a girl's classmate started spreading rumors and insulting her, the parents would call up the other parents, and tell them to control their child. But when it comes to brothers and sisters, some people almost seem to expect it.

IMO, it's not any less of a crime. I mean, a little tease isn't going to ruin someone's life. But when it becomes a habit, it should be a concern. Bullying can change a person, sibling or not. I know it changed me.

I also know some parents who don't tolerate this kind of thing any more than a teacher would, and honestly, I think more parents should be like that. It's one thing for siblings to vie for a parent's attention; it's another for one to assume a dominant position and constantly put the other down.

Random and irrelevant rant of the day finished.

It's raining again.

-Bast
September 16th, 2009 at 09:43pm