15 month old mean to 6 year old sister all the time

[sevenofnine]

Anyone in a similar situation? I can find NO info or tips on the internet.

My 15 month old, practically since birth, has always been mean and irritable around her 6 year old sister.

It hurts my six-year-old’s feelings because she is very sensitive and would do anything for her sister. She is a sweet empathetic girl, so it makes her feel miserable that her sister doesn’t appear to like her.

I see lots of information about helping older siblings cope with a baby, but we never had that problem. Always the opposite. Our 15 month old hits, scratches, punches, and yells at her sister. If she tries to comfort her or give her a hug when she falls or bumps her head, our 15 month old screams bloody murder at her.

She desperately wants to be able to play with her and be on the receiving end of hugs, kisses, and love, but I just don’t see it ever happening and it’s quite sad.

Our 15 month old is high maintenance, has a temper, but is generally sweet and loving to us and family- just not her sister.

 

[Rags]

I wonder if your 6 year old would be able to distance herself from her sister for a while, not be so ready to be there for her and wait until the wee one realises that she's missing out? It is a little different but I watched my youngest niece treat her sister (4 years older) quite badly through her toddler years - in fact right up until about 11. I always felt that it was because the youngest one became very used to her sister desperately wanting to please her, and impress her mum with how good she was - giving up toys, sharing all her sweets, giving her up mum's knee whenever demanded etc from the moment she was born and she learned to take advantage of this. As she got older the youngest was able to manipulate situations to always include herself and often exclude her sister, it could have destroyed their future relationship if the eldest hadn't been so understanding and forgiving, it certainly caused a lot of tension between them for a long time.