Whether you're the oldest, middle or youngest child, having siblings has
definitely impacted who you are. About a year ago, I watched a TED Talk by
Jeffrey Kluger about siblings. As the oldest of three kids, the entire speech
stuck with me. One piece of wisdom he tells the audience is the concept: "Our
parents leave us too early. Our spouses and our children come along too late.
Our siblings are the only ones who are with us for the entire ride." This
might be one of the most comforting things I've ever heard. You don't get to
pick your siblings and you don't get to decide if you get siblings, but whether
you have one, two, four, or 11 brothers and sisters, they are the greatest gift
your parents will ever give you.
1. Friendly competition.
Having siblings allows for friendly competition from day one, and being constantly compared to them makes you that much more motivated to win.
2. Everyday is a play day.
From the moment you (or they) were born, you have always had someone to play with. From Monopoly to "Mario Kart," you've always had your partner(s) in crime to stop the boredom.
3. You think alike.
No one is exactly like their brother or sister, and as you grow older, you may develop different views on many things. But because you were raised the same way, you have generally the same stances on what is weird and what is normal. It's nice to be on the same page.
4. You learn patience.
Patience is a virtue. The best way to develop patience is to be constantly tested by the annoying antics of your siblings.
5. You learn how to share.
Toys, a bathroom, a car...the list goes on! Sharing is fundamental part of life nothing prepares you more than having to share practically everything with your siblings from birth to when you move out.
6. You learn responsibility.
If you have a younger sibling, odds are you'll have to take care of them at least once. The responsibility you gain by having to be in charge will help you become a responsible adult.
7. You share responsibilities.
Chores are made a lot easier when you have the squad to help you.
8. Prepare you for roommates.
When you first go away to college, you'll already have a good concept of what it's like to share space with someone else, so your expectations are already low.
9. You can take a joke.
Your siblings know your strengths and weaknesses and know when to use them against you. If you're a normal family, you make jabs and jokes at either, but it's all in good fun! You develop thick skin, and you're not overly sensitive. That's a good thing.
10. Not the center of attention.
Because there is more than one of you, your parents can't focus all their time and energy on you. This gives you room to breathe, not to mention easy distractions for when you get in trouble for something. Ex. "Yeah mom I failed my test, but did you know my brother skipped class yesterday?"
11. Dream Team.
You can easily outnumber your parents when you want something. So when you guys were younger and wanted bedtime to be pushed back to 9:30, you could be darn sure you guys could make it happen. Kids: 1. Parents: 0.
12. The family name.
When you have siblings, your family can become like a legacy at your school or well known around town. It's really awesome when you get recognized for your family's accomplishments.
13. To teach and guide.
Whether to teach or be taught, or to guide or be guided, you learn so much from your brothers and sisters. They tell you stories so you don't make their mistakes, you give them advice about what you would do in a situation, you show them new things you have learned and vice versa. Having siblings is a never-ending fountain of knowledge.
14. Life is more exciting.
From going to their sports events to their weird performances, having siblings gives you more stuff to do and experience in life. They are a constant buddy to always keep you occupied.
15. Someone to look after you.
No matter what age you are, your siblings are always going to be protective of you and look after you. They got your back no matter what.
16. Lifelong best friends.
https://www.ted.com/talks/jeffrey_kluger_the_sibli...
