How to Ignore Your Sibling

Author Info

Last Updated: October 4, 2024

Having brothers and sisters can be a wonderful thing, especially when you are a kid and can have someone to always play with and be at your side. However, there may be times in your life where you may need to ignore your sibling for one reason or another. This may be an extremely difficult thing to do, especially if you still live in the same house. Luckily there are a number of steps you can take to ignore your sibling effectively.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Evaluating the Best Course of Action

Download Article

1
Establish why you want to ignore your sibling. There are many different reasons you may want to ignore your brother or sister.
- If you're simply busy and need to focus, be sure to explain that to your sibling and make it clear you aren't ignoring your sibling out of anger.
- If your sibling is doing something annoying, first ask your sibling to stop.
- If your sibling has done something seriously wrong to you, try to first resolve the conflict. If your sibling's offense is frequent or especially damaging, long-term avoidance may be your best course of action.
Your reason for ignoring your sibling will decide to what level you will need to take it. If your sibling has done something wrong to you, you may want to give him or her the silent treatment to get your message across. If you are just trying to focus, acknowledge your sibling whenever he or she enters the room or attempts to contact you. Just try to keep from starting a long conversation.^{[1]
X
Research source}

Advertisement
3
Think of alternative actions you can take. Open communication is important for all healthy relationships, including familial ones. When you ignore a sibling, you are destroying the ability for you both to communicate. Explore other ways of resolving the issue by first trying to talk with your sibling. If necessary, involve your parents. If you need advice on what to do, ask a friend, counselor, therapist, or someone else you trust for help.
- For when you're trying to concentrate, tell your sibling something like: "I really need to study for this test. Could you try being a little more quiet or move to a different room?" or "I'm sorry if I've been ignoring you lately. I have a major project coming up and need to focus."
- For when your sibling is doing something annoying: "Clicking that pen constantly is bothering me. Could you please stop it?"
- For when a sibling has hurt you: "I don't know if you realize this, but what you did was extremely hurtful. I need to know you understand that and won't do it again."
- When you remain calm and collected, you'll keep the peace, and your sibling will be less likely to pick fights and argue with you.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Ignoring a Sibling Who Lives with You

Download Article

If you're trying to study or work, bring your laptop or books with you to a public place. Many people go to libraries, cafes, and parks when they need to focus. If you have a car, simply driving to a parking lot or a garage can be the escape you need. If you're avoiding your sibling for other reasons, try going for walks or hanging out with friends more often. Try your best to make yourself busy outside of your home.^{[2]
X
Research source}
2
Lock your bedroom door. If you have your own bedroom, locking the door is the best way to ensure your privacy, if you're allowed to. This will cut down on any unwanted intrusions into your space. This is especially important if your sibling has a bad habit of not knocking or is too young to realize that it's the polite thing to do.
- If you need extra support, talk to your parents and explain your needs. For example, tell them that you would be better off without any interruptions so you can focus on your homework. They can set some ground rules with your sibling.
- Encourage your parents to help your sibling find other hobbies or activities so they'll feel more engaged and be a lot less tempted to look for you when they need some entertainment..
This is your best option if you share a room or will be with your sibling on a long car ride. If you use headphones, just be careful not to raise the volume too loud or you may damage your ears.^{[3]
X
Research source} Active noise-cancelling headphones can block out noise without the need for high volumes.
Deep breathing exercises work to relax you and may be a great help if you find yourself getting angry or annoyed at your sibling. Inhale slowly through your nose while mentally counting to five. Exhale slowly through your nose. Repeat this until you're calm enough that your sibling no longer bothers you.^{[4]
X
Trustworthy Source

HelpGuide
Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources.

Go to source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Ignoring a Sibling Who Lives Apart

Download Article

If you're trying to focus, stay away from social media altogether. If you are temporarily ignoring your sibling, most websites, including Facebook, let you keep people's posts off of your feed without needing to unfriend them. Unfriending on social media can cause drama that strains relationships in real life. Leave that as a last resort for long-term or permanent issues.^{[5]
X
Research source}
If you see your sibling's phone number pop up when your cell phone rings, let it go to voicemail. Avoid hitting the "Silence" button, as in many cases the caller will know you did so. If your sibling leaves a message, be sure to listen as soon as possible in case of an emergency.
Unless your sibling has seriously wronged you, don't ignore text messages completely. However, you don't have to reply to them immediately. Make your own messages short and to the point.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

How do I deal with a difficult sibling?

Denise Brady
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Denise Brady is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Long Beach, CA. With 15 years of experience, she specializes in helping people through generational trauma and uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to assist clients in reprocessing traumatic experiences and memories. Denise is the owner of 'In the Meantime Breathe Family Counseling Services' and offers services in both California and Texas, including virtual and in-person therapy sessions. She also offers workshops, including ‘Embracing Empathy and Validation’ and ‘Preventing Parent Burnout’. Denise has previous experience working with the Department of Children Family Services (DCFS) and her practice is trusted and verified by Therapy for Black Girls and Psychology Today. She received her Masters in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University in Los Angeles.

Denise Brady

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Expert Answer

Dealing with your sibling in the household can feel overwhelming, but setting boundaries is key. You don’t have to be involved in every aspect of their life, especially if their behavior is stressing you out. Try to limit how much access they have to you or how much time you spend in situations that create tension. This doesn’t mean cutting them off entirely, but it’s okay to create space for your own mental and emotional well-being. It’s also important not to take their behavior personally. Sometimes, people have their own issues, and it has nothing to do with you. Keeping this perspective can help you avoid letting their actions affect your mood or self-esteem. Focus on what you need in the relationship, and don’t get caught up in their challenges. If you know you’re about to be in a tense situation with your sibling, take some time to mentally prepare. Have a plan for how you’ll handle the interaction, and remind yourself that their behavior doesn’t define who you are. Finding this balance can help you stay calm while living with them.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Try asking your sibling why he or she is doing something annoying. If your sibling doesn't mean to bother you, try to understand where he or she is coming from. Talk with your sibling about less annoying alternatives.

Thanks
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
Keep your cool by taking deep breaths or think of something to calm yourself down.

Thanks
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
Don't try to fight your sibling because it will only lead to a negative outcome.

Thanks
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1

Show More Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

You might be tempted to use physical violence to get you message across to a frustrating sibling. DON'T DO IT. You will come off more mature and cool if you try to talk or walk away in a calm matter.
If the reason you want to ignore your sibling is serious, try talking to your parents about it. They can get you some space, or help you smooth things over with your sibling.
Sometimes it’s good to just tell them that you need your own time and that you'll be back in a few minutes.

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

If there are severe problems like physical violence, remember that local family counseling places are free and will help you.

Thanks
Helpful 276 Not Helpful 116