Family in Books?

Has anyone ever noticed that in a lot of stories and movies, the main characters (especially if they're kids) have almost no respect for their parents or siblings?

Take, for an example, the books about that aardvark named Arthur. You know, the kids books? One of them is called something like 'The Poetry Contest'. Innocent enough, right?

At the beginning, Arthur recites a poem that makes fun of his sister. And then one of his friends says something along the lines of "I'd be saying that too if I had a sister like D.W. [Arthur's sister]." During the book, Arthur ignores her, and even though I don't think he actually says it out loud, everything he does to her is basically yelling that she's a nuisance.

And that's a kids book.

There are many more books and movies out there like that. Isn't that sad?

But in a major, uncomfortably obvious way, it's reflecting our own culture of disrespect for the people in charge. Lisa, the newest character in my Elandai book, has a brother that ignores her because he thinks it's cool.

So in the book that I'm not writing on my blog (which has the working-title of Sarea) I'm trying to make the main character love and respect her father, mother, brothers, and sister. It's not easy, because right now she's away trying to get an alliance with the Elves, but I have managed to add a few scenes that show how much she loves her family.

Izori

P.S. Thank you, everyone who suggested ways to put un-mushy romance in Sarea. I'm in the middle of it, and so far it's going great!