Dear Coleen

MY SPOILT LITTLE BRO WON’T STOP WINDING ME UP

I’m a 15-year-old girl and have a younger brother who’s 11. He’s very spoiled and attention-seeking, which drives me crazy.

My parents are always running after him and nothing is ever his fault, despite the fact he starts all the arguments by winding me up. He’s treated like a little prince!

When things kick off or I complain, my parents just say, “Keep out of his way” or “You’re older; you ought to know better”, which winds me up even more.

Why should he get away with being horrible?

At the moment we’re stuck together 24/7 and I’m hating every minute. I feel like no one listens to me. Can you help?

Coleen says

What you’re describing will be the situation in many homes all over the country. It’s classic sibling rivalry and when things kick off, the older child usually gets told to act their age and so on.

I’m certain you’ll start getting on better as you get older, which is what happened with my sons.

But to help your dilemma, whenever your brother starts winding you up, walk away. First, if you stop reacting, he’ll get bored with it. Second, it will give you the chance to calm down.

It’s extra tough right now as we’re all seeing a lot more of our loved ones than we’re used to. It might go on for a while, so it’s important to have strategies for keeping things calm at home.

Parents will be tired and stressed, too, so if your mum hears you and your brother having a shouting match, she’s probably going to snap and won’t care who started what.

Take the higher ground when it comes to your brother – I’m sure your parents will notice that and appreciate it. You can always offload to your mates online.