Bullies Lurking In Your Home

More and more of us are becoming aware of the bullying that goes on in the world -- and how our kids can really pay a price for that cruel behavior.

But while many of us focus on school, Facebook, and other social media, it turns out one of the biggest bully sources is right before our eyes- yet we rarely recognize it.

It's bullying at home.

A new study in the Journal Pediatrics looks at "sibling bullying," and finds that the effects of homemade abuse is just as damaging as that which takes place outside the home.

Researchers studied a group of more than 3,600 kids, and found that sibling bullying can just as easily lead to anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, poor school performance, etc. -- just as if the child was being bullied by other kids at school or around the neighborhood.

Here's the breakdown of types of sibling abuse:

Mild physical assault - being  hit, beaten or kicked

Severe physical assault - hit, beaten or kicked with an object ... or  injury taking place , even if without a object being used

Property aggression - forcible theft, taking and not returning property, breaking or ruining property on purpose

Psychological aggression - feeling scared or bad because a sibling threatened or aid mean things.

Now a lot of parents don't think this kind of stuff is a big deal -- that it's simply a part of growing up, or "kids being kids."

It's not. And as a parent, you need to step to the plate and make sure it doesn't happen.

Look at that list. And look at the behavior that may be taking place right under your nose. After all, you wouldn't let a bully outside your home do that to your child.