“She’s only 11, but she’s reading books like Shadow-hunters, talking and doing audio calls with people she doesn’t now IRL online, and swearing and spending all her time on social-media. My mom doesn’t seem to care, even though she would have been furious if I’d done all that at eleven, and all this makes me sad.”
That’s a really good question, so thank you for reaching out and asking!
It’s totally normal to recognize the differences in how you were raised compared to how your friends or siblings may have been/being raised. We live in times that are changing drastically every month, and it can be conflicting to see your loved ones experience it ways you may not be comfortable with or necessarily approve of. It’s also important that your sister is being safe while she’s talking to strangers online. If you’re ever concerned about her safety we would definitely encourage you to talk with us at ConnecTeen (call us at 403-264-8336 or text us at 587-333-2724) or bring it to your mom’s attention.
While it will vary from case to case, the best way going about making yourself feel better about your little sister’s raising may be to simply speak her and have these discussions with her. As weird and different as your little sister’s childhood may seem, it won’t be there for ever. Speaking with her may help you relate to your sister’s upbringing a bit more. Joining her in some of the activities she has been taking part in, such as by reading those books with her, may also help with this and perhaps help you reconcile why her upbringing is has been making you feel down to begin with.
As we said, though, it’s not an easy question to answer, and everyone’s experiences will be a bit different. If you take one step at a time and think through why you feeling the way you feel about your sister, though, you’ll be that much closer to reconciling your concerns.
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