Do you have any siblings?

More than likely you do, over 80% of Americans have siblings. As someone with a younger sibling, I can tell you that there is no one that can frustrate you more. But I can also tell you that there is not one I love more than my sister. In many ways, parents hold much influence on their children and who they become. However, it is the siblings that can provide the strongest support and many times have the greatest influence on one another.

Siblings, especially those closer in age, are more willing to share things with each other that they may not feel comfortable talking about with their parents. This could be discussing things like romantic relationships, friendships, underage drinking or drug usage, and anything that may seem taboo to bring up in a family setting. In this way, siblings act as confidantes when there may be no one else to turn to. Sharing important life moments that feel like they can’t be shared with others creates a strong bond between siblings and teaches trust, communication, and empathy. When children feel their parents are lacking in one way or another, the older sibling, especially an older sister, becomes protective of their younger siblings. The older sibling tries to protect them from negative emotions like loneliness, guilt, or feeling unloved.

However, sibling relationships are not always strong or positive. While your sibling can be your closest friend, they can also cause significant distress. As siblings tend to provide the greatest influence on each other, if the relationship is toxic, it can be detrimental. Family is the people that we are the most unfiltered around, in a fight, watching what you say can easily get forgotten. When siblings fight this can make any topic intense and often the conflict will not be resolved in a healthy manner. Siblings who continuously fight may become violent and abusive, which creates a higher likelihood of violent behavior later in life.

Sibling relations can be positive and help one another grow or they can be negative and facilitate adverse social skills. For most, siblings end up being the longest relationship and tend to act as the principal life partner. So, for better or worse, they will always be present in each other’s lives.

This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group blog. If you are located in Arizona and are seeking legal services, CIMA Law Group specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.