3 yr old son bullying 1 yr old daughter He smiles after
How can I approach a parent that has a 3 yr. old son that is holding his one yr. old sister by her neck while repeatedly hitting her in the face? This has been occuring since she was 8 months old (sporatically). The parents have dismissed this behavior with the comment:"Well, he's only 3 and that's what 3 year old do". OR the parents blame the baby sister stating that she must have taken something from him and he is just reacting. The other comment from the parents is "Half the time she cries for no reason, anyway." The other problem is the mother insists she has to see him do this and won't punish him unless she actually witnesses this hitting behavior. Naturally, he waits until his mother leaves the room. If the mother does yell at him (which only makes the situation worse) he smiles at her. I've tried to talk to the mother and she becomes VERY defensive and angry. She insists that all her neighbors have dealt with similar age related behavior and it's perfectly normal sibling rivalry. The issue is there are no consistent consequences for this little boy's bullying behavior and his baby sister is afraid of him. It seems so unfair that she is not protected from him. It is heart breaking to watch and I've been asked to babysit these children occasionally and feel at a loss to help either of them. The parents have often said: "Oh well, they've got to learn!" They are in their 40s and feel it is better to be a relaxed parent
