Siblings – the definition that comprises love, strife, competition, and forever friends.
— Byron Pulsifer
Most of us will think that siblings are the most notorious and cunning enemy one could ever have. For many of us, they can be the definition of extremely annoying people. Even though we want to live in peace without them, we often appreciate the times we spend with them. This feeling truly comes from and within the heart. It is exactly the base foundation of a special bond – ‘Sibling Bond’, which is wanted and unwanted (by the most), yet so special because it gives us joys no other bond can. Siblings are those who are always there, fighting with you over the last piece of cake, annoying you while you are enjoying your favorite book, asking you weird questions, and texting stupid things to your friends. But siblings are the ones whom your heart beats for.
Perks of Having Siblings
1. They are Your Biggest Motivation
Siblings become the source of your motivation. When you see them getting the first prize in sports or being appreciated for some achievements or talents they have, you want to be like them and reach your goals. There’s always a healthy competition between siblings, which makes the sibling bond even more fun. There will be hardships, competition, urge to get further above, and all this motivation comes from having siblings.
2. Unconditional Love
Although siblings are like your biggest enemy, you also get to feel their unconditional love. Family love is all about bonding. With siblings, you can automatically understand the true meaning of family. You can feel their love when they bring you a warm cup of milk when you are sick in bed or crack funny jokes to make your mood better, or even when they give you a warm hug.
3. They are Your Crime Partners
Remember the time when you would team up with your siblings to sneak food at night, trying not to make any noise so that you can avoid the rebuke from your parents. Or when you suck at your math test and have to bargain with your siblings so they will not disclose it. They will always be your partners in crime. You can enjoy a joyous and adventurous life with them.
4. They Always Look Out for You
Siblings understand you even more than your parents because they are in the same environment as you. They know why you are worried, annoyed, or frustrated. At times, when you feel down, they will be your moral and emotional support. You know you can always rely on them.
5. They are Your First Mentors
We start learning when we are born. Our siblings are the first and most precious mentors we have. They are the ones who teach us how to deal with annoying people and have patience. We even learn how to deal with challenging situations, invasion of space, and weird behaviors. Your first guide is your siblings.
Minor Side Effects of Having Siblings
1. Siblings Rivalry
With a loving sibling bond comes the most dangerous yet vital thing called “Siblings Rivalry.” Although disputes, conflicts, and feuds sometimes seem to be a World War, the effects are never long-lasting. These fights usually start over some broken study table, snatching the remote control, or even a pen worth a few pennies. Studies have shown that siblings are more likely to fight every ten minutes they are together. These conflicts as well arise from positive envy.
2. A Constant Struggle for Parent’s Favor
We do whatever we can to draw our parents’ attention towards us. With more siblings, it automatically becomes a challenge. Because someone is always smart or funny or athletic, parents exacerbate these situations. As gender equality starts at home, parents should also not exhibit favoritism.
3. They are Compared
People around us love to compare everyone with their so-called standards. When you have a sibling, who is better in sports, academics and is also a responsible one, you hear all the criticism in the world, especially when you are a middle or younger sibling.
4. They Misuse Each Other
Siblings take advantage of each other’s weaknesses and secrets. And because of those, you have to do certain tasks for them. It might be an advantage if you are not the one being misused. But it is just another spark in the incredible sibling bond.
How to Bond With Your Sibling?
Siblings are not the same, even though they come from the same parents. They have differences in their personalities and hobbies. But such differences should never make them apart. Instead, there are many ways siblings can bond well with each other.
1. Keep Their Secrets
Everyone has secrets, and they look for a detour to keep those secrets. When a person cannot find such comfort near him, he hides away all things inside. And more or less, he ends up piling up all the sad memories and deepest secrets in his heart. Sibling bonds can grow more if siblings care for each other and keep little secrets between them from early childhood. This practice makes them support each other through the crisis.
2. Have Adventures Together
Having fun together can even make non-related people close in no time. The adventurous games in early childhood hold the magical power to bond the siblings together. The beautiful memories they create together make them bond well. The brothers and sisters, despite their differences, start to care for each other more than before, which makes them close.
3. Talk About Your Conflicts
The conflicts and small fights through the teenage years can turn into one massive toxic argument. When siblings don’t resolve these conflicts, they can harm the sibling relationship and become a problematic, dysfunctional family. Talking about those mere fights helps resolve the matter both for the time being and for the long run. You feel sorry when you hurt them. You care for them and protect them, which makes the sibling bond strong.
How to Carry Sibling Bond Into Adulthood?
When we are kids, it’s all about who had more candies and treats and the number of turns one gets beside the window. The small fights can turn into huge arguments as we grow older. There are a few simple things to remember which carry sibling bond through your adulthood.
1. Don’t Hold Grudges From Past!
When you are growing up together, there are a bunch of emotions emerging. The rush of hormones sometimes makes you unreasonably angry and absurd. You hurt each other by saying something rude. If you let those things get in between your relation, things will get rough through your adult life. The best way to become truly caring siblings through your adulthood is by resolving misunderstandings.
2. Appreciate And Express Gratitude
Feeling gratitude, respect, and appreciation for your siblings is good. But there are lots of times when verbal appreciation can turn things much better. Words have power, or more appropriately, words are power. A few nice words from you can make your sibling love and respect you even more. Your appreciation for each other grows with you.
3. Accept Their Differences
Every individual is different from the other due to their physical attributes, thoughts, ideas, dreams, and how they respond to others. The best sibling bond is the result of total acceptance. You have to understand that even if you played the same in childhood, adult life is different for you and your siblings. Accepting those differences makes you support each other.
My Perspective
Being an elder sister to three younger siblings, I would say that no matter how much they annoy me or get fed up by me, we will always be that loving, loyal, caring, brawling unit. I think that life without siblings is boring and essentially lifeless.
Also Read: What are moral values, and how can we teach our kids some of the most important moral values in life?
