Speak respectfully. Don’t call names (even if you think your sibling deserves it). Never hit, push, or kick your siblings, even if they started it. Don’t use any physical force unless it’s absolutely needed for self defense.
It may be tempting to call them names or slap them right back, but you’ll probably get in trouble because you’re bigger than them. Avoid giving in; remain calm and respectful.
If they keep doing it, keep repeating yourself, like saying “Stop hitting me,” “I’m trying to study,” or “Please let me be. " Get louder each time if you need to. This is called the “broken record technique. "
“I’m stressed and I need to be alone. " “Please let me be. " “I need quiet time. "
“I don’t know why he’s crying. I didn’t hit him. " “Actually, I was dancing to music in my room. I don’t know what happened to the cookie jar. " “No, I didn’t attack her. Jessi jumped at me and tried to pull my hair, so I pushed her away. I’m very sorry that she’s hurt, but I didn’t do it on purpose. "
“I asked my sister to give my lacy shirt back and she refused. I’m really upset, because I wanted to wear it and look nice when I go out with my friends. Can you help?” “Dad, when I asked Andy to take his feet off my books, he called me a fat loser and it really hurt my feelings. " Talk to your siblings and find out what they are going through. Try to understand what they want to get through those acts of disrespect. For example, they may be disrespectful because they want attention or feel jealous, left out, or insecure. If you cannot sort things through a conversation, talk to your parents about it. If any correction is needed, do it nicely and avoid creating resentment.
“Sometimes Ryan hides the remote right before my favorite show comes on. It makes me feel really frustrated and disappointed because I can’t watch my favorite show if I don’t know where the remote is. Asking nicely doesn’t work. What should I do when this happens?” “Mom, I need to talk to you about a problem. Sometimes, when you’re not there, Aiyana calls me stupid because of my learning disability, and asking me to count her fingers in a very sarcastic tone of voice. It hurts my feelings a lot. Do you have any advice about how I can handle it?”
