How to stop my brother from crying...

mousegray
Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:45:46 +0000

OP, it sounds like your parents are doing the best they can for your brother. They must not have been all bad with you either because you do sound very grounded. But-- as a parent myself, “the best I can do” is sometimes not enough and sometimes actually detrimental. Best intentions can be harmful for some children. (The not allowing your child to cry comment comes to mind here.) If your brother is this distressed at 10 years old, then it will only help all of you to get some insight into what’s going on, as well as some tools for coping (for all of you) and that’s what an outside consult would give you. You, and your parents, are too close to see clearly what’s going on. Your brother wants to please your parents and after all, he is only a little boy. And please don’t assume, because he’s stopped crying for a few days, that everything is fine now. These types of behaviors have a way of returning again and again, and usually in an amplified way as kids get older.