My Son Hates His Little Sister and I Don't Know What to Do

Photo byNathan DumlaoonUnsplash

I am a mother of two kids - an 11-year-old son and a 9-year-old daughter. My son and daughter used to get along great when they were younger, but now my son seems to hate her. He scowls whenever she enters the room and refuses to spend time with the family if she is around. He won't watch movies or eat dinner with us if she is present.

I have tried to talk to my son about why he feels this way, but he just says he doesn't like her and being around her makes him furious. I understand that they have different personalities, but I don't know how to bridge the gap between them. My son is a reserved kid who enjoys video games, while my daughter is more social and has lots of friends.

I have tried to spend one-on-one time with my son, as has my husband, but it never seems to be enough for him. He refuses to spend any time with his sister and will throw verbal insults at her if she is nearby. It breaks my heart to see my daughter starved for her brother's attention, and I worry about the impact this will have on her in the long run.

I suspect that my daughter has a mild form of ADHD, which could be contributing to the tension between them. She can be difficult to deal with at times and requires extra attention from me. However, I can tell that she loves her brother and tries to hug him and shower him with compliments, which he never reciprocates.

I am at a loss for what to do. I don't want to show favoritism, but I also don't want to force them to spend time together if it's just going to lead to more tension. I love both of my kids and want them to have a good relationship with each other. Any advice would be appreciated.