Having a strong relationship with your siblings can be one of the best relationships you will have in your life. Siblings truly can be lifelong friends. The problem is, not everyone has strong relationships with their brothers and/or sisters. Sometimes it’s because we were never close with our siblings or perhaps we had a falling out with them. There truly can be a variety of reasons why we are not close with our brothers and/or sisters. However, we’re going to focus on the things you can do to either create that strong relationship or fix it.
Let go of the past:
The first thing you will have to do in order to create a strong relationship with your siblings is to let go of the past. This mostly is referring to your childhood with your brother and/or sister. Maybe they did something to you when you were younger and you just haven’t forgiven them. Well, it’s time to move past that. Siblings all over the world argue. They will do and say things they don’t mean, especially when you’re younger. Let these things go. If they have been bothering you for years, try having a conversation with them about why you have been so upset with them over the years and how you’re willing to move past it if they are. If the roles are switched, be open to a conversation that can help you both heal.
Ignore your role:
As children growing up, we tend to take on our family role a little too much sometimes. This means we tend to embrace being the “big brother/sister” or the “younger brother/sister.” These roles can get into our heads, especially when we’re dealing with any significant age gap. Now, as adults, it’s time to drop these roles. You and your siblings are equals, no matter the age gap or anything else, so you must treat each other as such. This is a crucial part of having a relationship with your sibling because nobody wants to be talked down to by their sibling.
Do things together:
Like all relationships, the best way to build one with someone is to actually spend time with them. Find little things to start it off, maybe a simple video call or meeting up for lunch or dinner. You can invite them over for dinner and hopefully, they will return the favor. If you both have common interests, try doing those things together occasionally. The more things you do with your sibling, the stronger of a connection you will have with them because it shows them you value your time with them.
Don’t compare yourselves:
Last but not least, don’t compare yourselves. This applies to both each other and other sibling relationships. Don’t worry about what your sibling has vs. what you have. Be happy for them if they’re succeeding, and if they’re down right now, help them whatever way you can when they ask for it. Additionally, don’t worry about what other people’s relationships are with their siblings, you and yours have your own story. These types of relationships are meant to look the same.