National Siblings Day
Courtesy of I Love Newton
You may have fought with them when you were younger, but as you got older, you started to realize what excellent friends they can make. Our siblings are some of the first people that we interact with in our lives and the relationships that we make with them are extremely important throughout our lives. This Saturday, April 10, is Siblings Day. Here at SSCC, we want to acknowledge the importance of healthy and happy relationships among siblings and celebrate the blessings of having a sibling.
According to The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Newsroom, in an article titled, The Importance of Siblings, by Dr. Shawn Sidhu, children often discuss life topics with their siblings rather than their parents because of their closeness in age. They are also more likely to confide in their siblings and see them as a source of support. Having healthy relationships with one’s siblings may also promote empathy, prosocial behavior, and academic achievement, according to the article. (HSC Newsroom). Our siblings can help us in many ways, but they can also bring us down. It is crucial for a parent to correct this kind of behavior and not encourage unhealthy habits. In this same article, Dr. Sidhu, goes on to explain what parents can do to encourage healthy relationships between their children.
- Parents should talk with their children and ask them how their relationships are with their siblings, and talk with them on things that are good in the relationship, as well as things that they can work on.
- Parents should celebrate differences among their children and never compare their children to their siblings.
- Parents should encourage siblings to work together and support each other.
- Parents should give each of their children rewards for working together, but not give a reward to either child, if the children are not cooperating together.
- If one child is suffering from a medical, developmental, or emotional problem, parents should try to make sure that the rest of their children also receive attention.
- If a sibling conflict is serious and parents don’t know what to do, they should seek family counseling or family therapy to receive professional help. (HSC Newsroom).
References
“Happy National Siblings Day Today!: Newton News,Reviews, Upcoming Events And Special Offers.” I Love Newton | Sharing the Great Things About Living in Newton, MA., 5 Apr. 2015, ilovenewton.com/happy-national-siblings-day-today/.
Sidhu, Dr. Shawn. “The Importance of Siblings.” UNM Health Sciences Center, 7 Jan. 2019, hsc.unm.edu/news/news/the-importance-of-siblings.html.