These Kids

Mongoose,
My sister's 4 and 6 year old daughters are an embarrassment to our family. I know it's not their fault, they can only go by how they was raised. When we all meet at my parent's house after church, the first thing these girls do when somebody talks to them is punch them, and my sister just laughs. It happens every time. "Hi, how are you?" WHACK. This past weekend one of em tried that with me again and I grabbed her little hand and smacked it. Now my sister won't speak. I say it's tough love, my parents say I should let it go cause it ain't my kids. What do you say?

Dear Auntie Ain't Gonna Happen Again,
Do you know what you get when you cross a cat with an elephant?  A flat cat. I've often wondered how siblings formed from DNA provided by the same two parents sometimes turn out so differently.  Sure, there are genetic traits that are passed on more strongly-- depending on timing and conditions in the womb, but I credit conditions outside the womb as being more influential to the outcome. I put money on the guess your sister got away with everything while you walked the line as a child.  I see a ton of kids these days who are loved to death. Never reprimanded, given anything and everything they ask for, or most likely demand. Can't imagine why the "entitlement mentality" is so rampant these days. No consequences, nothing earned = a selfish, lazy, mean population. You are doing your sister a favor, she won't see it that way unless you enlighten her. Do your best to do so and if it's not working tell her you don't want them to turn out like her and duck!