AboutTess Expertise I can give you advice on ways to cope with problems in your family. You can ask me how to deal with issues like sibling rivalry, being the "middle child", or how to stop your brother/sister from picking fights with you.
I am here to help, so ask away.
Experience BA and MA in Psychology.
Assistant Teacher.
Question Have 17 year old he has a 7 year old half sister seems like he likes to tease 7 year old when he is with his dad,his mother & dad are divorce and since dad has remarried,present wife get very upset when older stepson picks on her daughter 7, I Nana just say kids will be kids,but the stepmother gets down right mad at the stepson then we have big problems,really the 17 year old doesn't have that great of a relationship with his step-mother I think there could be a little bit of jealously, the 17 lives with his mother and visits his dad often. Hope you have some answers on how to handle this situation. Thanks for you time.
Answer You are so right in your assessment of the situation. The 17-year old is jealous of this half-sister as she gets to spend all her time with the Dad while the stepson doesn't.
Either you or his Dad should speak to the 17-year old and explain how his teasing affects everyone in his father's family. Do not single out the stepmother as he does not really care about her. Point out how his father, who is important to the 17-year old, gets upset when he teases his half-sister. Emphasize to the 17-year old too the benefits of him being able to visit with his father regularly - something he would not want taken away from him.
