I have always kept a close bond with my three sisters Jasmine, 26, Nicole, 16, and Roxie, 14. I find myself thinking back to when we all lived under the same roof. Before college, before jobs and before growing up. The constant laughs and bickering over stealing each other’s clothes and the mini-arguments seem to have vanished.
Much closeness stems from our parents pushing us to be best friends and constantly reminding us how “family is all you have.” Let’s also not forget our dad’s jokes about “haunting us when he ‘kicks the bucket’ if we don’t keep the same relationship as we have now”.
Our dad grew up in a great household in which he and his siblings were and remain very close. I always appreciated how they interacted with one another as the years went by because no matter what, they’ve stuck together and always show up for each other. Our mom also pushes us to spend time together and kindly sends us off to go on sister-coffee dates.
From a young age, having siblings allows you to learn how to share, play and speak with others. The emotional vulnerability that is shared amongst siblings sets us up for how we interact as adults when it comes to being empathetic and positive.
A EurekAlert! article on empathy amongst siblings says, “The research found that beyond the influence of parents, both older and younger siblings positively influence each other’s empathetic concern over time.”
Being close with your siblings makes room for sharing certain topics you don’t want to share with your friends. I feel so comfortable sharing anything with mine because we always have an open and friendly discussion. My teenage sisters are so intellectual and give unexpectedly good advice that I use in my early 20s.
An article by Boys & Girls Aid says, “Siblings help us to learn crucial skills to navigate relationships, find a sense of identity, and understand how to create attachment to others.”
I believe siblings help shape identity because the older ones go through life first to share their experiences with the younger siblings. My older sister and I have graciously influenced our younger sisters with our music and fashion. I’m glad that I’m able to share my love for 80s and 90s music with my Gen Z sisters.
My sisters and I learn so much from each other because we grew up with the same values and interests. And as much as I feel like I’m drifting further away from Gen Z jokes, Nicole and Roxie always keep me up-to-date on Addison Rae and dumb (but fun) drama from Trisha Paytas.
Becoming an adult and choosing to go to a university has given me the chance to observe how those I interact with, interact with their siblings. I always figured that everyone had a close relationship with their siblings just because I do. I never realized that some siblings aren’t good and just aren’t there emotionally for each other.
Sibling rivalry is tough and I don’t blame anyone for cutting family off. It’s difficult to keep relationships with anyone as we get older because of scheduling conflicts, different morals or interests. Hearing bits and pieces of stories from people I cross paths with pushes me to hold my relationships with my sisters closer to my heart.
Jasmine and I have moved out for college then work and Nicole and Roxie are a few years shy of being “adults.” Our parents’ drive for making sure we have stayed close all of these years is something I will forever be thankful for. I will never get those years back and I’m so grateful to have kept a strong bond with Jasmine, Nicole and Roxie. My sisters and I are each other’s hype-girls and I couldn’t imagine rapping Nicki Minaj during late-night drives with anyone else but them.
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Jacqueline (she/her), born and raised in Arizona, is a senior studying digital journalism and information science & eSociety. She spends her days with her two huskies, Chemino and Roma. Jacqueline enjoys hiking and is a coffee enthusiast!
