Q&A for How to Get Your Siblings to Shut Up

Hide your phone! Let your sibling know that you don't want her touching your stuff. Talk to your parents and tell them it bothers you when your sibling tells them things about you, and ask them to come to you if they want to know something.

You need to tell your parents, or a different adult if they don't listen. You may want to stay away from your sibling, depending on whether or not they have the potential to injure you seriously.

Count to ten. Go somewhere else to do an errand, get as far away from her as possible. Tell you parents if this is happening often.

People make fun of you to get a reaction. Stop reacting to it, and your sibling will stop making fun of you.

Don't ignore him. Ask him if he wants to do something with you, like reading, playing a video game, or coloring. My little sister often bugs me because I don't give her enough attention. If that attention IS given, however, your brother may give you more space.

Don't tell her to shut up. That would be an extremely bad idea. She may just want to spend more time with you. Telling her to "shut up" indicates that you don't want to listen to her, and that could make her behave even worse.

Get help immediately from your parents. This will be most convenient, as your parents will tell them to do the right thing and stop annoying you. If your parents aren't around, ignore your siblings and tell your parents about it when they get home.

Put headphones on and listen to music, and/or read a book. Distractions can help.

This has happened to me before with my little brother. I talk to my parents about this and it really helps. When I tell them what is going on, they will usually help me and talk to my brother about it. If this doesn’t work, I ignore the situation, change the subject, or give him the exact opposite reaction that he was looking for (smile, say positive things back to him, etc.).

If they say something negative, say something positive back. They'll probably eventually realize they can't bring you down, or you might even change their outlook.

Don't fight with them, even when it's really tempting. Walk away, or just ignore them. If a parent is home, go tell them what your sibling is doing. Stay calm when you're talking to your parents so you look like the more mature person.

Try reverse psychology. When she says something hurtful to you, make a big deal of saying "Thank you," like she's paid you a great compliment. Then try to give her a big hug. When she sees you responding in the exact opposite way she intended, she'll probably stop.

Don't. Ask your friend politely to please get their sibling to be quiet or stop doing whatever they're doing that's bothering you. You can also ask your friend if you can go in their room or outside to escape their sibling. If that doesn't help, ask for help from your friend's parents.

I have OCD, and I’ll tell you, it’s no fun. First off, make sure your sibling actually has it. Having OCD is not the same as being a neat freak. Then, understand that your sibling cannot help their compulsions; for instance, re-checking locks or repeatedly washing their hands. They're doing it because they have to, not to get on your nerves. Try to be supportive.

Nope, you'll get in trouble if you do so. Try ignoring them, asking them kindly to be quiet, or asking your parent for help.

Politely ask her to stop. Tell her how much it bothers you, and specifically that it's causing problems with your OCD. If she won't stop, tell an adult.

Tell your sibling it bothers you, and ask how they would feel if you didn't leave their room. You can also tell a trusted adult.

Either just ignore him, or record him doing these things and show the recording to your parents.

Try to calmly explain your side of the story to your parents. If they refuse to listen to you, don't argue. That will only make it worse. The best thing to do is try to avoid making your sibling cry in the first place, even when they're being annoying!

Whenever they try to bully or tease you, just give them the silent treatment. Try to think of something else that you like. Or, you can literally move away from the person and talk to someone else.

Warn them that you will unplug the PlayStation if they don't stop yelling. That usually works, but if it doesn't, go in another room or ask your parents to intervene.

Be calm and friendly, and tell them that you need some space. Try to understand what your sibling is feeling. If you can figure out where they're coming from, you'll know how to respond in the future. Don't respond in anger, that will only make the situation worse. You should also talk to your parents about what is going on.

Try to explain to your sibling that the item(s) they are touching/taking belong to you and are your personal, private property. If this fails, try hiding your belongings somewhere that they won't look or be able to access, like a lockbox, a locked room, under your bed or even in your pocket if the item is small enough. If it continues even beyond this somehow, simply explain calmly to your parent why they can't do this and that they should stop them.

Tell your parents immediately. Physical abuse is not acceptable, regardless of who it's coming from! Never hit your sibling back or yell; your parents will most likely have a talk with your sibling.

Have you talked with your parents about this? Aside from that, firmly telling him to leave you alone, and trying to avoid him when he's in those moods are you best bets.

Think about what makes them a "bad sibling," then think about what makes you a "bad sibling." The reason you should do this is because you both have faults and you need to work on yours first because the other sibling won't until you do. Be the bigger person, and talk to them about how you feel about their behavior in a calm and reasonable manner.

Don't start them or encourage them! Avoid picking fights with your siblings, and if they try to start a fight with you, simply walk away.

Stay on your side of the room and tell him to stay on his. If he won't be quiet, put on headphones and just tune him out.

You can't get rid of your sister. Ask her nicely to give you a little space. If she refuses, ignore her or ask a parent to help you.

Give them something else to do. Set them up with their own game on an iPad or other device, or turn a TV show on for them. If your sibling is really little, you can give them a game controller that isn't hooked up to anything and tell them they're playing with you.