Hello
Thank you for writing to me. You have been really brave to share about how things are with your brother and it is definitely worth writing in as I can hear how much is going on for you.
What your brother is doing is wrong and name calling is a form of bullying. No one has the right to bully you, not even your family. It sounds like the names he called you at your cousin’s house was really hurtful and upsetting. I can hear that you didn’t want him to call you a baby so you went into the toilet to cry but I would like to say that you have done nothing wrong and you have the right to show how it is making you feel. Crying is a natural way of expressing how you feel.
It sounds like your mum tries to help and sort things out but your brother just gets you back. Maybe you could talk more to your mum when you are alone together. You could tell her more about how your brother acts towards you, how it makes you feel and how it doesn’t stop after she tries to sort it out.
Talking about what is going on can be really important and can be a good first step in getting the support you deserve. Often people who bully others do not realise the effect it can have. If you felt like it might help you could even tell your brother about how it makes you feel when he says things like this.
Sometimes young people who are going through similar situations to you find it helpful to start a journal, writing down their feelings about what has happening. This can feel like a bit of a relief as you are expressing your feelings and not keeping them inside. Painting, drawing or writing poems are other ways of expressing yourself.
It is important to remember that you have done nothing wrong and it is great that you are talking about what is happening. Maybe you could contact ChildLine to speak to a counsellor about what is going on with your brother. They will be able to support and listen to you. There is no problem that is too big or too small. ChildLine has a free helpline on 0800 1111 you could call and it will not appear on your phone bill or you could have a 1-2-1 chat with a counsellor which is like instant messenger.
It might also help to talk to an organisation called Cyber Mentors, who can talk to anyone who’s been affected by bullying.
Take care
Sam