Teasing is often regarded as a rite of passage, a normal and common activity of childhood. Yet teasing is a complex relational issue involving many elements, such as intent, verbal utterances, nonverbal behavior, meaning, interpretation, and emotional affect. Teasing within the sibling relationship can be a source of great parental frustration, as parents often lack a clear understanding of how to address the behavior. Mothers' perceptions of their children's teasing, their own self-history with teasing, and responses to observed teasing scenarios may directly affect the nature, form, and function of sibling teasing, at times acting as an unintended license to tease.