I think DD may be bullying and I don't know how to deal with it.

[Cadelaide]

The thing is, it's her brother she's bullying, if that's the correct term for her behaviour.

She is hostile towards him 90% of the time, regardless of his behaviour towards her. She refuses to answer when he speaks, makes faces and calls him disgusting at mealtimes (and that's every mealtime), and is generally cold and unpleasant towards him. The thing is, this has been going on for well over a year.

Of course they scrap often, as siblings do, but this is different. It's a sustained campaign that has been going on for so very long. It's very subtle and is definitely affecting his self-esteem. I've tried to talk to her without success, and I've run out of ideas.

Is it bullying?

Any ideas?

How old is she?? and he?

She's just turned 9, he's 10.

I grew up with this in a similar situation, I was the younger sister and it has definitely left me with sibling issues - so bad that I had to think long and hard as to whether I would even have a second child, in case history repeated itself.
I can't offer any suggestions without knowing the cause, jealously? perhaps but I hope you do what you can to stop it.
Good luck.

I would ask at the school office for contact details for the Parent Support Advisor. The PSA will be able to point you in the right direction - maybe some family support thing.

I assume you can't think of any reason behind it - is life generally easier for your DS? Has she got reason to be jealous of him? Is she being bullied herself and coping with it by picking her own target? You need to talk to him about it as well - reassure him that you're aware and are dealing.