# Sibling Bullying: A Hidden Form of Abuse That’s Just as Harmful as Peer Bullying
When we think of childhood bullies, many of us imagine someone at school who teases, calls you names, maybe even shoves you around. But what if the bully is not a classmate or a peer, but someone you live with? Someone who shares your DNA and is supposed to be your protector?
Hey friends, Lacy Green here, and you're watching *D News*, the anti-bullying movement has blown up in recent years with huge campaigns like "It Gets Better" and anti-bullying laws passed in every state except Montana—because apparently, Montana still needs to get its act together. But even with all this awareness and action, one serious and very common form of bullying is only now getting some spotlight.
A new study published this week in the journal *Pediatrics* found that sibling bullying is just as damaging to a child's mental health as peer bullying. Let me grab my surprise face because this might shock you. Working with data from 3,600 children, researchers discovered that a third of them had been victimized by a sibling in the past year. And here’s the kicker: the bullied kids had significantly higher levels of ongoing stress—no matter how frequent or severe the bullying was—all leading to an increased risk of anxiety, depression, and self-esteem issues down the line.
It’s strange, isn’t it? When a kid shoves someone they’re not related to, it’s called bullying. But when they shove their own sibling, it’s often dismissed as "just boys being boys" or "sibling rivalry." I know because I was bullied by my older brother for years. He would call me names, give me the dirtiest looks, and push me around just to make me miserable. And guess what? It was always "oh, you're just being too sensitive," or "boys will be boys." But now that I think about it, it was actually pretty bad. My brother later ended up in jail for assaulting someone because of his aggressive behavior—behavior that likely started at home.
Sibling bullying is especially worrisome because not only do people have a dismissive attitude toward it, but most kids spend way more time at home than anywhere else. They’re surrounded by their bully 24/7 with no way to escape. And let’s be real: a bullying sibling probably knows exactly what button to press to make their victim feel defeated and humiliated.
The study has some important takeaways for parents. First, pay attention to the difference between harmless teasing and actual bullying. Kids are too young to realize what's going on, so it’s up to parents to take it seriously, mediate fights, and teach their kids how to communicate and respect each other. Also, don’t play favorites or pit kids against each other—it can make matters worse.
So, the next time you hear someone dismissing sibling bullying as "just part of growing up," remember this: whether it’s a peer or a sibling, bullying is still bullying—and it leaves lasting scars. Thank you for joining me for *D News*. Feel free to share your thoughts or stories about sibling bullies down below. We’ll be back soon with more science updates!
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enmany of us think of a childhood bully asmany of us think of a childhood bully asmany of us think of a childhood bully assomeone at school who teases you callssomeone at school who teases you callssomeone at school who teases you callsyou names maybe shoves you around butyou names maybe shoves you around butyou names maybe shoves you around butwhat if the bully is someone that youwhat if the bully is someone that youwhat if the bully is someone that youactually live [Music]Music]Music]with hey friends lacy green here andwith hey friends lacy green here andwith hey friends lacy green here andyou're watching d news the anti-bullyingyou're watching d news the anti-bullyingyou're watching d news the anti-bullyingmovement has blown out the past fewmovement has blown out the past fewmovement has blown out the past fewyears with huge campaigns like it getsyears with huge campaigns like it getsyears with huge campaigns like it getsbetter and i choose anti-bullying laws have beenbetter and i choose anti-bullying laws have beenbetter and i choose anti-bullying laws have beenpassed in every state exceptpassed in every state exceptpassed in every state exceptmontana cuuse montana apparently needsmontana cuuse montana apparently needsmontana cuuse montana apparently needsto get their act together but even withto get their act together but even withto get their act together but even withall this awareness in action one seriousall this awareness in action one seriousall this awareness in action one seriousand very common form of bullying is justand very common form of bullying is justand very common form of bullying is justnow getting some spotlight a new studynow getting some spotlight a new studynow getting some spotlight a new studypublished this week in the journalpublished this week in the journalpublished this week in the journalpediatrics found that sibling bullyingpediatrics found that sibling bullyingpediatrics found that sibling 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it'sfighting and taunting is good like it'sfighting and taunting is good like it'straining for the real world where you betraining for the real world where you betraining for the real world where you bebullied and terrorized nonst when i was ibullied and terrorized nonst when i was ibullied and terrorized nonst when i was ius to h out with boy constantly by hisus to h out with boy constantly by hisus to h out with boy constantly by hisolder brother he would call names giveolder brother he would call names giveolder brother he would call names givehim dir looks push him around reallyhim dir looks push him around reallyhim dir looks push him around reallyjust go out of his way to make himjust go out of his way to make himjust go out of his way to make himmiserable and it was always like oh youmiserable and it was always like oh youmiserable and it was always like oh youknow it's just boys being boys whateverknow it's just boys being boys whateverknow it's just boys being boys whateverbut now that i think about it it wasbut now that i think about it it wasbut now that i think about it it wasactually pretty bad and i know that benactually pretty bad and i know that benactually pretty bad and i know that benwould get really down on that he reallywould get really down on that he reallywould get really down on that he reallyhated his brother his brother laterhated his brother his brother laterhated his brother his brother laterended up landing himself in jail forended up landing himself in jail forended up landing himself in jail forassaulting a guy we got to remember thatassaulting a guy we got to remember thatassaulting a guy we got to remember thatthe guy in jail or people who arethe guy in jail or people who arethe guy in jail or people who areaggressors and bullies in everyday lifeaggressors and bullies in everyday lifeaggressors and bullies in everyday lifethey have siblings and spouses too sothey have siblings and spouses too sothey have siblings and spouses too sosibling bullying is especially worrisomesibling bullying is especially worrisomesibling bullying is especially worrisomebecause not only is there sort of abecause not only is there sort of abecause not only is there sort of adismissive attitude about it but alsodismissive attitude about it but alsodismissive attitude about it but alsobecause most kids spend way more time atbecause most kids spend way more time atbecause most kids spend way more time athome than anywhere else they may behome than anywhere else they may behome than anywhere else they may bearound their bully all the time with noaround their bully all the time with noaround their bully all the time with noway to escape because their family away to escape because their family away to escape because their family abullying sibling probably knows exactlybullying sibling probably knows exactlybullying sibling probably knows exactlywhat makes their victim tick in thewhat makes their victim tick in thewhat makes their victim tick in thepress that's come out about the studypress that's come out about the studypress that's come out about the studythe researchers have strongly urgedthe researchers have strongly urgedthe researchers have strongly urgedparents to be attentive to theparents to be attentive to theparents to be attentive to thedifference between you know little qureldifference between you know little qureldifference between you know little qurelsome siing rivalry and actual bullyingsome siing rivalry and actual bullyingsome siing rivalry and actual bullyingkids are too young to realize what'skids are too young to realize what'skids are too young to realize what'sgoing on so it's really up to thegoing on so it's really up to thegoing on so it's really up to theparents to take it seriously to mediateparents to take it seriously to mediateparents to take it seriously to mediatefights and to teach their kids how tofights and to teach their kids how tofights and to teach their kids how tocommunicate and to respect each other tocommunicate and to respect each other tocommunicate and to respect each other topay attention if teasing and antagonismpay attention if teasing and antagonismpay attention if teasing and antagonismalways goes in one direction or if italways goes in one direction or if italways goes in one direction or if itleaves one of the kids feeling defeatedleaves one of the kids feeling defeatedleaves one of the kids feeling defeatedand humiliated the researchers alsoand humiliated the researchers alsoand humiliated the researchers alsoadvise the parents not to play favorites oradvise the parents not to play favorites oradvise the parents not to play favorites orpit kids against each other becausepit kids against each other becausepit kids against each other becausethese can just make matters worse thanksthese can just make matters worse thanksthese can just make matters worse thanksfor joining me for d news guys feel freefor joining me for d news guys feel freefor joining me for d news guys feel freeto share your thoughts or stories aboutto share your thoughts or stories aboutto share your thoughts or stories aboutsibling bullies down below and we will besibling bullies down below and we will besibling bullies down below and we will beback soon with more scienceback soon with more scienceback soon with more scienceupdates\n"
