Not dating related, but I know I will find wisdom from FDS about how I can level up as an aunt. Prior apologies for mobile formatting.

During the quarantine, I’ve been staying with 6 other family members, including my parents, my brother and his wife and their two kids (11 yr old boy, 6 yr old girl). Yes, it’s been crazy at times, but we’re getting along for the most part. *I should add the disclaimer that this is the most amount of time I’ve ever spent with these kids under one roof.

Something happened earlier today that I can’t stop thinking about. I was hanging out in our basement reading while my niece was playing video games. My nephew came downstairs and poked his head around the corner and looked right at my niece and said, “hey bitch.” I was only half paying attention to them but my ears definitely perked up at this. I looked in their direction and my niece turned and looked at me...pretty sure I had a really confused look on my face, then she turned back to him and with an understandably upset and defensive tone, said “shut up, nut sucker!” (good lord, I’ve never heard kids talk like this) to which he replied, “GAWD, CALM DOWN. No reason to freak out.”

The fact that he insulted her to get a reaction and then downplayed it to her needing to “calm down” nearly sent me into a blind rage. But I froze. I didn’t say anything to either of them. I want to say something to their parents, since I’ve never heard their parents talking to each other or anyone else like this, and I haven’t heard my niece and nephew talk to each other like this.

It’s not the hurling of insults that bothered me the most, it was the provocation from her brother. Cuz seriously, I can’t go one day on Reddit without seeing a meme/screenshot of an “adult” dude talking to a woman like this. I don’t want my nephew to think this is ok at all. Or for my niece to think that it’s ok to accept it.

I’d like to say something to the kids, especially to my niece letting her know that I did witness the verbal abuse that came from her brother (since I’m pretty sure she turned to look at me for protection and/or reassurance.)

I am not a parent and never intend to have my own, but I would like to be a good role model and source of support for my nieces and nephews.

Can any of you suggest some ways to bring this up to their parents? Or how I could respond next time it happens in front of me? What to say to my nephew? Or how I might come to my niece (in a way that makes sense to a 6 yr old) and take accountability to her that I saw it too?