It Isn't Name Calling When They Exhibit the Behavior

I react to children differently. Not only do I recall a lot of the good and bad from that era- not everything has to be resolved diplomatically. Little sisters can be aggravating.

For whatever reason I dealt with more little sisters than little brothers. They probably grew up to be friendly, reasonable women. I wouldn't know. My sister was so much younger I had a different perspective.

She might have gotten on my nerves. Differently than some interloper who did not knock. I don't think anyone knocked on doors when I was growing up, barging into yo any given room. Another story, another article.

My sister's children are usually harmonious. Live with anyone and they will get your goat occasionally. Hearing my sister's son refer to "My brat sister"- he isn't wrong. Adults in my day would have taken greater offensive that I called someone a brat than the brat in question would have for manifesting that behavior.

Adults can be counterproductive. I have had supervisors accuse me of "Name calling" as they referred to me in less than flattering ways. Saying "Stop name calling" is the dead end to describing bad behavior they might have to address.

That entire position dead ended. I listen to the children the way I listen to everyone else. There are times when one does not like what the other did. There isn't much I can do unless the behavior is witnessed.

At least I don't say "You should love your brother/sister". Perhaps. One should not be mean to the other. Is this why so many of my greatest friends were only children? That was coincidental.

It is important to listen and take children seriously. None of my problems were taken seriously. Adults lived in a fantasy world where every child was nice to every other. Was every adult nice to my parents?

Not really. I noticed my parents making more of an effort to cultivate relationships than their friends did. You can only do what you can and cannot control what others do. I am not surprised when one child is mean. It shouldn't happen. Occasionally it does. It is important to defuse the situation as best as possible without belittling the one who had the complaint.