Siblings

Siblings

Introduction

It doesn't matter how much we love our siblings, whether we even love them or not or totally don't get along well with them, they have a huge impact on our lives. More than eighty percent of human beings have at least one or more than one sibling and the relationship that we have with our siblings, is often the most long lasting relationship that we experience. Therefore, their effect on our lives is most likely to be huge. Sibling relationships involve high familiarity and are often emotionally unrestrained and usually very intense which can result in both problems and benefits for the brothers and sisters. It has been observed that when a child reaches the age of 11, he usually spends more of his time with his siblings rather than anyone else in his life. (White, 2001)

Discussion

Our relationship with our siblings is considered to be the most permanent or long lasting relationship of our lives. Their effect on our young and adult life is huge as they contribute in shaping our history and our character to a great extent. They are not just second editions in relation to the parents, but they have their own special importance. Existence of our siblings and our relationship with them is fixed in our psyches. For most of us, nobody knows us better than our own siblings, although they may not always be happy with us or admire us; they will always be very much interested in us. For example if we ask any sibling to describe a parent, or any friend, or any sibling, it is the sibling that the child would chose to describe with as much detail and complexity as he can about their character and habits. That is why they are so significant in their own right. (Walker and Connidis, 2005). 

The dual nature of sibling relationship is the most interesting part of the relationship. The siblings might have rivalry and competition amongst themselves for reasons such as gaining parents' attention, but at the same time brothers and sisters are a source of support, love, friendship and understanding for each other. (Ryff et al, 1994)

Our relationship with our siblings is way different from the type of relationship that we have with our parents and friends, especially when we are still children. Relationship between a child and a parent is unequal regarding power and involves complementary roles. Relationship between friends is more on the side of equal and involves more reciprocal roles. Relationships with our siblings falls somewhere in the middle. There is some difference in power because in most cases one child is always older than the other child, but there is definitely similarity because both the children are in the same family and a more reciprocal relationship too. There are huge individual differences amongst sibling relationships. (Voorpostel and Blieszner, 2008)

Effects When a Sibling Arrives

Reactions of children on the arrival of their siblings are uneven and unpredictable and sometimes even unsure and hesitant. How the children react, depends totally on their ...