Squashing The Sibling Relationship

CONTENT WARNING: Animal Abuse

My mother told me this story. She’s watching two of my younger brothers as they’re playing in the front yard. [Brother #1], who is around six years old, spies a struggling inchworm on the driveway. My mom notices him crouching down to look at it and goes to join him. The poor thing doesn’t look so good.

Brother #1: *Clearly distressed* “Is… Is he gonna be okay?”

Mom: “Don’t worry, sweetie. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

Brother #1: “Okay. If you say so.”

Then, [Brother #2], who is about three years old, comes over to see what the fuss is about. He spots the inchworm and, to [Brother #1] and Mom’s horror, lifts his foot.

Brother #2: *Stomping on the inchworm* “DIE! DIE! DIE!”

It’s been more than ten years since this incident, and their relationship still has the exact same dynamic, though our mother did manage to train most of [Brother #2]’s destructive behavior out of him.