How Much Do You Want To Avoid Talking About This?

[Hypognosis]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24639063

There is no escape from this, so you might as well learn to put up with it.

Or...?

[ummmm]

I don't think either of my boys are bullies to anyone outside the home. They are horrendous to each other. Equally as bad as each other.

[Hypognosis]

Older sibling has it rough because they get to watch the younger baby get all the fuss and attention and, if they lack any memory of infancy*, probably wonder why they never had any of that.

Younger sibling goes through -nearly- all the same experiences and close parental attention enjoyed by the elder sibling but it's not quite the same because there's an 'audience' looking in on the proceedings and parent's attention is divided.

So I'm wondering if it's always/necessarily the case that the jealousy is always the eldest envying the youngest or it's just that the eldest always has the edge in intellectual development, knowledge, height, weight, strength and thus always wins the fights?

* I speak from personal experience - my earliest memories are from the age of 3.5 to 4.

[Prudie]

I was certainly bullied (or at least picked on relentlessly) by my elder half brother based I believe on his jealousy because my mother had divorced his father to marry mine. My mother ignored it, based on her guilt in my opinion.

[boxtops]

I don't recall any bullying between me and my brother and sister - I am the middle child.

[pixie373]

It may depend partly on age differences. It is normal for siblings to fight and wind each other up. It's up to parents to teach them what's acceptable.

[boxtops]

Could be, pixie, there are 8 and 14 years between each child in my family.

[rockyracoon]

There was no bullying in our house between us siblings, plenty of fighting yes, but no bullying. My two kids get on very well with each other so there's none there either.

[Old_Geezer]

I was teased relentlessly by a younger sister, but I think in the final analysis I tried to get my own back. The problem being that when I compained to parents it was a case of "she's younger than you you have to put up with it" whist if she compained it was a case of "you're older than her you should know better". Never got out of hand like the article tries to suggest though. I suspect such would be the exception rather than the rule. As such I'm unsure it's worth discussing further as opposed to wanting to avoid doing so.

[sherrardk]

Mine have the odd spat (usually the two eldest boys) but as a rule they get in brilliantly. They're more likely to reduce each other to fits of giggles than tears.

[daffy654]

My girls were horrible to each other. The younger one grew bigger and stronger than her older sister and could easily best her in a fist fight but that didn't stop the older one constantly winding her up. Younger one used to lash out then walk away and older one used to call her names again straight away. They used to drive me insane.