((geez)) - I say both too. I'm very sorry this happened to you and your brothers and this is a very cruel act to expose anyone to. When I was a kid, a baby squirrel was blown out its nest during a thunderstorm ...so we nursed the baby to full adulthood, then let him free. I really look back on this fondly, having the squirrel sit on me.

One thing I instilled in my children is, they have free minds to make choices, rather than feeling this must listen and comply. This doesn't mean they can refuse brushing their teeth when I ask them lol. It means, if they're very uncomfortable with someone or something, they have the choice of refusing. If they don't want to hug a person who comes to dinner, that's okay. I also teach this same principle when they're with a group of friend, in case they're exposed to drugs, bullying someone etc. I'm sorry you felt forced to do this and weren't given this choice. Your instincts knew better and he didn't succeed.