How to Respond?

I’ve mentioned how kids ask difficult or strange questions — here and here. Yes, answering kids’ questions can sometimes be rather complicated. And then there’re things that aren’t really questions, but that require a response of some kind. Take this complaint, for example:

Calfgrit7 came to me, clearly frustrated. “Calfgrit4 tried to interrupt me when I was trying to tell him something.”

I stood there for a few moments, “Um, uh,” trying to think of what to say or do. First off, CG4 “tried” to interrupt him? He didn’t succeed?

OK, well, it’s rude to interrupt, but CG4 doesn’t have to sit there and listen to anything CG7 wants to say. And I know CG7 well enough to know that he was probably just telling his little brother how he should be playing. CG4 is quite capable of deciding for himself how he wants to play, and he sometimes gets perturbed at his big brother ordering him around.

After stammering for some seconds, I just said, “Y’all just play nice.” CG7 obviously wasn’t satisfied with my response, but he turned around and went back to his toys.

How should a parent respond to that complaint?

Bullgrit