When we’re young, our siblings are our best friends. We might get mad at them and argue all the time, but still, we’d do just about anything if they were in trouble.
Unfortunately, many siblings drift apart after they grow up and start living their separate lives. It might seem inevitable, but a Danish child psychologist says we can prevent this. Because according to her, siblings are probably the most important people in our lives.
Siblings have a great significance for the development of children’s personalities, their social development and their perception of themselves. And in fact, the relationship between siblings is of great significance for the roles and relationships people take on later in life, says Danish child psychologist Margrethe Brun Hansen.
“A good sibling relationship might be the most important relationship you ever have in your life,” Margrethe Brun Hansen told the Danish Broadcasting Corporation.
The role of parents is important
If you grew up with siblings, you were probably either annoyed or jealous of them almost daily. At the same time, the bond you had for siblings was back then was probably incredibly strong. But unfortunately, for many people, this relationship weakens as we grow older. Now, Hansen is encouraging us to appreciate our siblings, as they might be the most important people in our lives. And she has some advice for parents, too.
“It’s important that parents continue and teach their children to respect differences, and be open to extroverts and introverts, those who like sports and those who like stamps, and not only give space for them, but also recognize the differences as a strength,” Margrethe Brun Hansen told the Danish Broadcasting Corporation.
Mirror image of ourselves
Margrethe says that our siblings are a reflection of ourselves, and that unlike anyone else, they’ve been with us since birth. She compares a family with a small society and says it shapes our ideas about love, conflicts and social behavior. Therefore, our siblings are something we should never take for granted.
No one has been through more with us in our lives than our siblings. So, we should never stop appreciating them. Share this article to show others how important siblings are.
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