Today a friend of mine called me to ask advice about if, and
how, to deal with the fact that her brother’s parenting style was seriously
tainting her enjoyment of auntie-hood. A lot of us have been there: you love
your brother and you love his kids. You’re just a bit concerned that your
beloved brother is spoiling your beloved nephew rotten. It’s no easier to be on
the other side of a parental clash with a sibling, dealing with a big sister
who thinks you could use a lot of unsolicited advice. “You mean you let him eat
food that’s not organic?!” Or: “Just give him some chocolate milk and turn on
Baby Einstein. That always kept my Steve quiet.”
As this
blog on parentdish.com points out, the general rule of thumb with friends is to not give
parenting advice unless it’s asked for. But with our siblings, it’s not as
clear cut.
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