Do you have a sibling that “teased” you relentlessly? Were you bullied by an older brother or sister that still wants to hurt you?
The phenomenon has become a “diagnosis.” We carry those deep scars and the questions surrounding them into adulthood. That childhood bully, the brother or sister who teased you, smacked you, and actually brutalized you emotionally, needs to be seen for what he/she was. An aggressor. A needy, damaged, hurting child left untreated. You were their closest target.
“Bullying” creates fear, low self esteem, and worse, begins at home. In childhood, there’s no way to escape. The parents, especially before bullying came into the public eye with the current school bullying laws, let things go.
They said “That’s how boys are.” Or, “She’s your sister, just ignore it.”
The brother or sister who relentlessly called you names, excluded you, frightened you, and in fact hated you, had true psychological problems your parents never addressed. That sibling shaped your worldview and self image.
Now that you’re grown, you don’t have to take it! Or them.
If you’re parenting, put a stop to it. We are savvier today.
Everyone involved needs help.
#siblingrivalry #siblingabuse