I remember when I was young that my sister and I used to fight like cats and dogs.
No matter the situation, no matter the occasion, we would more often than not find something to disagree on. Sometimes it was over me borrowing her clothes, other times it was because she was taking a year to wash herself in the shower. The point is, ours was a relationship forged in fire, and though we love each other dearly, we’ve had more than our fair share of arguments.
Sound familiar? Well, if it does, and you and your sister used to bicker and fight growing up, it’s not actually a bad thing!
On the contrary, having a sister reportedly makes you a better person …
Studies now show that having a sister can – amongst other things – help you better resolve conflicts, improve your mental health, be more empathetic and more nurturing!
“Even after you account for parents’ influence, siblings do matter in unique ways,” researcher Laura Padilla-Walker, of Brigham Young University in Utah, explained to NBC News.
“They give kids something that parents don’t.”
What’s more, Alex Jensen, assistant professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University, claims that conflicts between siblings are actually beneficial in the long run when it comes to development.
“They help you develop social skills, like communication, compromise, and negotiation,” he said, as per the Huffington Post.
“Even sibling conflict, if it is minor, can promote healthy development.”
Developmental improvement
Padilla-Walker continued: “Even if there is a little bit of fighting, as long as they have affection, the positive will win out,” Padilla-Walker explains. “If siblings get in a fight, they have to regulate emotions. That’s an important skill to learn for later in life.”
Research also indicated that brothers with sisters are better at communicating with women as they’ve had practise.
“Some research suggests that having a sibling who is a different gender from you can be a real benefit in adolescence,” Jensen said. “Many of those sibling pairs become closer during the teen years because they become good sources of information about the opposite sex.”
So, there we have it. If your sister is anything like mine, she has the potential to be a right pain in the backside. At the same time, though, she’s likely played a huge role in your development.
If you have a sister, and want to pay tribute to her, share this article on Facebook!
