Dear Queenie,
My little brother is such a pest. He is always getting into my things and bothering me when I am busy with my friends or my homework or whatever.
He won’t leave me alone and if I tell him to leave me alone he runs to my parents and cries and tells them I hit him or something and then they punish me even though I didn’t do it. But they never punish him for troubling me.
Queenie, how can I get them to make him leave me alone?—Older sibling
Dear Older sibling,
It is not clear from your letter whether you are the older sister or brother, but it doesn’t really affect my answer.
First, I must remind you that your parents are also your brother’s parents. Is it possible that part of your problem is sibling rivalry, meaning you are a bit jealous because they seem to love your brother more than you?
If that is the case, you must keep in mind that he is younger and smaller than you, and therefore requires more care and attention. Because you are older, your parents expect more patience and forbearance from you, and expect you to set a good example. I suspect you also have more privileges.
Ask your parents for help in keeping your brother out of your personal belongings and away from you when you really don’t want to be disturbed, and be patient with him the rest of the time. I assure, you will come to appreciate him when you both are older.
