Little sisters and brothers can be both lovely and annoying. Perhaps, they are becoming a problem, and you want to get your little sister or little brother to shut up.
How to get your little sister or brother to shut up
You can’t completely get your little sibling shut up, except you are going to duct-tape their mouth. But you can regain your lost peace when you do the following to shut up a younger sibling:
1. Get distracted
You want a distraction. It could be an errand to get you away from your annoying little sibling. Consider having a friend with you if you think your parents are not okay with you going out on your own.
Have a pair of headphones to drown your sibs out and stay disengaged from them. With your ears, flowing with the rhythm, do not respond to your sibling to cut them from bothering you.
Your loud sibling could be seeking attention. And if you think they need to be shut up, ignore them. Ignoring someone is a message enough that you are not interested in what they have to say. Most importantly, it keeps you on top of their annoying attitude and negativity.
Do not stoop to their level, although this may be tempting. Suppose your sibling insults you, do not return the insults. Keep ignoring, besides, it is best to ignore an aggressor.
Some of the things you can do to get busy include sneaking up on cats, chasing squirrels, walking a dog, and more. You could even make up an excuse for sneaking out.
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2. Hide your hurt feelings
Hiding your feelings does not make you weak—you are simply hurting them more as they’d be thinking that you are not moved by their tantrums.
Don’t get this wrong: it is perfectly okay to be hurt if someone is mean to you. Unfortunately, your sibling – brother or sister – thrives on getting you upset. You could leave the house for a while, visit a friend, or have a fun time to let your sibling at home out of your head.
3. Walk out of the situation
No, you are not running from your fears by walking out of the situation. A retreat could also be a tactical weapon, and it messes with your sibling’s head since they do not really know what you are up to.
You could go to your room. If the annoying brother or sister follows you, order them out. Suppose you share a room with your sibling. Use the next empty room or space.
And if your parents are home, they would be siding with you if you need them to help you get rid of an annoying sibling.
4. Become assertive
If ignoring or avoiding a sibling does not shut them up, consider asserting yourself. Of course, it is okay to self-assert when being tempted, teased, or bullied by a little sister or brother you want to shut up.
You have a right to be respected, so if your sibling violates your right, it is okay to stand up for yourself.
Stooping to their level is what you don’t want to do, for example, returning insults with insults. Instead, defend yourself against insults. For instance, if your little sibling teases you about the shirt on you, reply, “It’s how I like my shirt. So, making fun of it does not change anything.”
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Try to use humor to fight the teasing situation, which threatens the self-assurance of your sibling.
Now, about that shirt example. Suppose your sibling won’t stop saying your shirt is ugly, you could reply like:
“I just like my clothes ugly. Or, maybe you’re jealous I have it and you don’t.”
This response may seem ineffective but it conveys a better message than speaking badly about their shirt. It makes them shocked at your comfort and composure despite their insults.
5. Just listen for a fixed time
It may sound odd but listening to a sibling you want to shut up could be just the solution you are looking for. This should be the case when they are being relentless, and won’t stop talking.
You do not have to listen for too long. Perhaps, a couple of minutes, and then return to what you were doing or planned to do.
If a little brother or sister getting on your nerves is your case, try to understand what they want to communicate and why. It could be that you have been mean to them. Or, if you screwed them over, it could mean that they are trying to get it out of their head but find it difficult to express it in a good manner. You now have to make it easier for them to express themselves.
Besides, your ability to predict how other people might feel, act, or react is a skill that helps to build better relationships.
6. Address the problem
If you get into conflicts with your little brother or sister too often, you want to address the problem. Start this procedure by stating the obvious—mention their attitude bothering you and why it bothers you.
While addressing your views, allow your little sibling a chance to respond. Allow them to talk without interrupting. For instance, if you feel insulted, don’t say, “I don’t like how you’re talking to me right now.” If you get hostile, you would be fueling the fire, and your little sister or brother will probably not shut up. The point is to stay calm until they are done, and then bring up your observations—they may willingly apologize.
Try to personalize when communicating the problem by using words like “I” and “we” to avoid bringing in external judgment on the situation.
Begin with statements like “I feel…”, “I need you us to…”, etc. Go ahead and describe your emotion, explaining the behavior that makes you feel the way you do.
Don’t communicate your concerns by starting the conversion with a statement like:
You are not considerate when talking over me and put me down about not cleaning the room.
Say something like this instead:
I feel upset when you talk to me about cleaning my room because I would be doing it the moment I complete my homework.
7. End the conversation if necessary
If your sibling won’t shut up, consider ending the conversation. If you talked to them respectfully enough but they just won’t stop talking, they could get hostile.
If your little sister or brother keeps talking over you and disrespecting you, end the conversation by saying something like:
I don’t think we can settle the problem this way, and I no longer feel comfortable right now.
Leave the conversation, and don’t talk back no matter what they say thereafter. You could somehow annoy a big sister with loud music.
8. Open sincere talks with your sibling
You need to understand your sibling’s perspective before you share yours. The reason for their actions needs to be sorted from the root this time around to figure out the events that shaped their experience, or if you have been unfair in the situation.
Perhaps, you rub your little sister or brother the wrong way. You need to see how the situation can change. Sit your little sibling in a comfortable setting, making sure they know what you have to say is serious. Turn off the TV, if on, and set aside your phones or computers to prevent distractions.
Ensure to pick a time that works for both of you. It’s not necessary to schedule a talk if you or your sibling has a few hours before work. So, pick an open-ended time like a weeknight after dinner.
9. Take turns talking
Be respectful during the confrontation, and take turns to express how you feel. You can have someone mediate in the issue to bring a balance.
Ensure to take turns to express your feelings, and try not to interrupt your sibling. If your sibling interrupts while it is your turn, politely interject with something like:
“Excuse me, but I’m still talking.”
Avoid insults or put-downs and remain respectful to resolve the problem.
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Be willing to compromise to see things with your sibling. After expressing yourselves, try to resolve the problem together.
Read also: Convince your mom
Understand that your little brother or sister is only being little!
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