Air travel these days is far from glamorous. In fact, it can be a downright pain in the butt. Beyond getting through airport security, you’re often treated like cattle, despite the ever-increasing air fares. Then there’s the added layer oftravelingwith strangers, often a little too close for comfort.
So, when Reddit useru/penapoxwent on a long flight with his family, he didn’t need his kid sister to add to the stress and make his journey uncomfortable. But she kicked up a fuss about wanting his window seat and his parents sided with his sibling, who then teased him about it for the whole flight. That’s when OP started plotting hisrevenge.
More info:Reddit
Modern air travel is already a hassle, so you don’t need your own sibling disrespecting you on top of everything
Image credits:Bao Menglong (not the actual photo)
Bratty sister begged and screamed for window seat on long flight, forcing brother to move to the aisle
Image credits:Clément Proust (not the actual photo)
Kid sister then proceeded to tease brother for the remainder of the flight to Toronto
Image credits:Dmitry Zmiy (not the actual photo)
He kept his cool despite the provocation, plotting his revenge for the flight home. He cunningly checked in his whole family online, putting his kid sister in an isolated aisle seat
Image credits:u/penapox
A degree of sibling rivalry is natural, and it can take on many forms. Teasing is just one of them but, in the wrong situation, it can lead to deep feelings of resentment. The age gap also makes a difference, with the youngest child often getting away with murder while the first-born typically has a tough time of it.
This was the situation when a Reddit user’s 8-year-old sister caused a scene on a flight to Toronto, forcing him to switch seats with her. As if being relegated to the aisle from the window seat wasn’t enough, he then had to endure his kid sister’s teasing and taunting for the rest of the flight. The drama didn’t stop there, though. The older brotherturned to Redditto tell the rest of his story.
According to u/penapox, he kept his cool, but used the remainder of the flight to think up ways he could get revenge for his sister’sbratty behavior. By the time the plane landed, he had made his decision. Near the family’s return date, he checked everyone in online (his parents aren’t that tech-savvy).That’s when he noticed the option to assign seats to each passenger. Since he was feeling particularly evil, he grouped everyone together (the family was traveling with some friends), but put hissisterin an isolated aisle seat, where she’d be sitting next to two strangers. When it came time to board, he simply blamed her separation on luck.
Of course, the kid sister immediately kicked up another fuss, but the family was having none of it. Since it was a night flight and everyone was feeling grumpy, nobody was in the mood for her tantrum. To add insult to injury, the two strangers she was sitting next to just told her to quiet down. The result? Kid sister had to spend the wholeflightback home stuck in the aisle.
Image credits:Chris Curry (not the actual photo)
In anarticle for The New York Times, opinion writer Jessica Grose delves into the psychology behind sibling rivalry. According to Jeanine Vivona, a professor of psychology at the College of New Jersey who has studied sibling rivalry, “competition with siblings is just a fact of life. And we, as people with siblings and people with children, can just try to manage it as best we can.”
Grosegoes on to say that observational studies have shown that sibling conflict may happen up to eight times an hour. Says Mark Ethan Feinberg, a research professor of health and human development at Pennsylvania State University, “Early and middle childhood are particularly difficult times for sibling aggression. Conflict does decrease into adolescence; it sort of levels off.”Grose also writes that, psychologically, sibling rivalry serves a developmental purpose: It helps children figure out what is unique and special about themselves, otherwise known as “differentiation.”
This means you should also avoid over-generalizing your child’s characteristics and personality traits. For example, saying one child is “the athletic one” and another is “the book-smart child” implies their value is dependent on performance in certain areas. Translation: Your athletic child may not feel as smart, and your book-smart child may not feel as physically fit — and these observations may foster animosity between them because of their labeled differences. Instead, empower your children for who they are as individuals without using labels that attach fault or guilt.
Family dinners, playing board games, spending time at the park and doing activities are great ways for children to bond and sharepositive memories together. These moments give children less incentive to pick fights with each other and give them an opportunity to spend more time with you.For parents, fairness is essential, but fair doesn’t always mean equal. Punishments and rewards should be tailored to your children’s individual needs. For example, you don’t have to give two children the same toy. Instead, give them different toys suited to their ages and interests. That kind of fairness will go a long way.
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