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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Also, if he is smiling while his brother cries in pain, he’s more in control of his actions than you think. If he was truly just being impulsive/out of control, he’d be upset, not smiling. He’s enjoying seeing his brother in pain. [/quote]

No… you are interpreting his behavior as if he were an adult. He is 3 years old. He’s not enjoying the situation, he is flooded with shame, an overwhelming and uncomfortable emotion that he does not know is how to deal with.

[/quote]

Well, I’ve been around lots of 3 year olds, including my own kids at that age, & I disagree. Kids that age can absolutely enjoy getting a reaction out of their siblings. People don’t tend to smile when they feel ashamed. [/quote]

Adults don't tend to smile when they feel ashamed, true. 3 year olds are not adults. When young children are experiencing a difficult or scary emotion, it is very common for them to laugh, run away, cover their ears, all cooping mechanisms. And for some children, knowing that they have disappointed their parent (when they hit a sibling for example), is very, very overwhelming. They don't yet have the skills to stop themselves from acting on their impulses, and are just trying to cope with their big scary feelings.[/quote]

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