My brother “Steve” is thirteen, but he still acts like a toddler. He plays with neighborhood children who are as young as seven, talks like a baby all the time, plays with baby toys, and throws loud tantrums even in public places. Even worse he thinks it’s fine to walk around the house butt-naked all the time because “kids can do that”. This is really embarrassing not only for me, but for Steven, because my friends have seen him, and to be blunt Steven is very, very small. Naturally everyone in school is aware of that now thanks to the gossip mills.
I know my brother’s smart because he pulls amazing grades at school. But he refuses to grow up and act his own age. I think what bothers me the most is watching him get teased and bullied at school over this. Our dad is absentee, and mom actually thinks his behavior is cute, so she won’t say anything.
I want Steve to be normal for his own sake. I try to get him to hang out with me and my friends, and I involve him in things, but he refuses to take to any of it. What can I do?
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My brother “Steve” is thirteen, but he still acts like a toddler. He plays with neighborhood children who are as young as seven, talks like a bab…
3 replies on “My brother refuses to grow up, and it’s embarrassing. What can I do?”
Your mother is encouraging this by not saying something. Steve probably enjoys the attention he gets from her, and is willing to endure abuse outside of the home to have his mother’s affections at home. In order for anything to change your mother has to change. Unfortunately she probably won’t listen to you. Ask other family members to speak to her.
On the nudity thing… Wow, creepy. Buy him some colorful underwear or boxers with cartoon characters on them. Maybe he’d be willing to wear those in place of his birthday suit.
Ignore him , live your own life , there is nothing you can do .
~It could be he’s doing this to rebel against you and or the family , if you are pressurising him more to ‘grow up’ , he might rebel even more.
Chances are if you ignore it , this behaviour will blow over .
Could you get a teacher to tell him?
Or a kind friend ? to just tone it down a bit?
my sister is similar in acting younger then she should she still go’s to toys r us! etc. its normal to want to be young again he’s just not ready to grow up yet try to talk to a teacher about the bullying thou, don’t worry he’ll mature in time!