Summarize the following:
It is important to stand up to bullies in a confident, assertive manner. By showing this confidence and assertiveness, you will be letting the bully know that you won’t tolerate their treatment. It is normal to feel upset in response to bullying, but try to avoid becoming upset in their presence, such as by crying or yelling. Bullies often try to get a reaction like this, so it may only fuel the fire. Looking your bully in the eye and saying, “Excuse me?” when they say something rude is a way to catch their attention. This simple, but effective, action may be enough to stop them from continuing their attack. Doing this also shows that you acknowledge the offensive action and aren’t willing to let it happen. To avoid starting the conversation with your sibling being defensive, make sure to leave the word “bully” out of your vocabulary during the talk. Instead, simply describe how you feel when your siblings says something or acts in a bully-type manner. Try to maintain a calm, non-accusatory tone to try to keep the conversation productive and non-heated.  For example, you could say, “When you put me down, it really hurts my feelings. I would appreciate it if you could stop saying negative comments to me.” They may become upset at first, but hopefully after they think about it, they will understand and sympathize with how you feel and stop.  Keep in mind that this does not have to be a long drawn-out conversation. Keep it brief and then move on. Allow your sibling some time to process what you have said. Bullies tend to pick one subject and use that as their “go-to” when they criticize. This allows you to plan an effective response to what they say. Once you speak up when they misbehave, they will likely back down. For instance, if they tend to pick on you because of the career path you’ve chosen, you can say, “I do something I enjoy. I’m sorry you don’t like it, but this is what I’ve decided to do, and I’m going to keep doing it.” Practice your response several times so that you are authoritative when it comes time to say it. Ask your sibling to attend a therapy session with you. Going to a counselor may help you and your bully figure out why the hurtful behavior occurs. It may be difficult to encourage them to go, but you may be pleasantly surprised if they agree. To get them to go with you say, “It’s no secret that you and I don’t get along very well, but I would like to change that. I think if we went to a family counselor, we may be able to work through our issues and have a good relationship.”
Stand up to them. Tell them how you feel. Prepare what you’re going to say to their insults ahead of time. Suggest therapy.