My mom and stepdad are fighting a lot. It happens almost every weekend. IT’S ABOUT THE STUPIDEST THINGS! I have two brothers (whom I love) and they’re scared. As a big sister, I want to help. What should I do for my parents? What should I do for my brothers?
CONSIDER THIS:
- Worrying about others can make you feel like you want to fix their problems and anxious for their well-being. You are a caring person for putting their needs above yours even though your parents refuse to do so.
- You can suggest that your parents seek counseling as a couple or separately because their behavior could become worse. You can tell them how concerned you are for their well-being and that they may have past issues they need to resolve.
- When your parents fight you can make your brothers feel safer by comforting them. You can tell them how how much you care about them, hug them and explain that your parents are going through hard times as adults. Think up more ways to comfort your brothers so they feel safe.
- If you need someone to talk to you can head to Teen Central and click the Help tab to call one of the hotlines. Call 911 if you and your brothers feel too threatened by your parents.
- You can explain to your parents how much their fighting bothers you and how scared your brothers are.
- Being spiritual may make you and your brothers feel safer. You can teach them how to pray or meditate to calm down. You can try this as well. Click the Learn tab then Spirituality on Teen Central to learn more.
- You can learn more about peoples’ feelings by educating yourself. You can read books about the topic so you can help them when they need you. You can also empower yourself by getting involved in helping others. Volunteer opportunities you might be interested in include teaching children to read, fostering or adopting a pet, or anything else you can think of.
- You can help your brothers focus on other activities by encouraging them to draw, paint or color in coloring books.
HELP YOURSELF:
- In what ways can you convince your brothers to be positive when they need to be?
- In what ways could protecting your brothers make their lives easier?
- In what ways can your kind actions make all of your lives more meaningful and better overall?
- How can solving others’ problems affect everyone including yourself?
