Dear B. Lord Buckley,

My little brother is really getting on my nerves, and I don’t know what to do. Yeah, I know I’m supposed to be the older one and just ignore him, but it’s becoming too much.

He likes to tackle me and hide my stuff. And whenever I won’t include him with my friends, he cries to our mom and somehow I get in trouble. I’m okay with a little bit, and I get that I’m supposed to be the more mature sibling, but he is getting on my last straw. What should I do?

From, Bothersome Brother

Dear Bothersome Brother,

I know how irritable little siblings can get after a while, especially if you get blamed for what your sibling should be getting in trouble for. But there are some solutions. When your little brother starts to cry at your mom, try to explain to her and to your brother in a serious voice what actually happened and why he should leave you alone. If your brother actually sees that you’re serious and he understands, maybe he can realize that what he’s doing is not fun for you. Fighting fire with fire won’t really work in this case, because it seems as though your brother has the upper hand in arguments. And as much as you want to fight back, it won’t be as effective. Hope this helps!

Sincerely, B. Lord Buckley