The Sibling Bond

The Sibling Bond
The bond between siblings is the most enduring bond that anyone with a sibling experiences.   This bond is not as demanding or critical as the bond with parents, children, or spouses, and this is potentially the longest relationship that a person will ever have in his or her life.   The bond that is shared between siblings helps determine the quality of the relationships individuals will experience in the future.   Sibling relationships are an important aspect of an individual’s early development that is lacking in that of an only child.  
The development of social skills is often facilitated by interactions with siblings. These relationships teach children many different social skills that cannot be acquired from their parents. The first thing that children who have brothers and sisters learn is how to share with others. Being able to share with others is a crucial skill used throughout life. Sometimes children just want to keep a toy for themselves, but when having a sibling this may not always be an option.   However, an only child in a family does not have to worry about sharing a toy or even their parents’ love and affection.
The ability to make and maintain friendships is another area where children who have siblings and those that do not differ.   Children with siblings learn to develop peer relationships earlier than only children.   From birth, children who have brothers and sisters have constant companions and playmates.   As they grow together, they learn how to form bonds of friendship and how to work with others and resolve conflicts.   They play games together, have conversations, learn to play make-believe and share problems with each other.   They also begin to learn that relationships involve give and take.   Children with siblings learn about working together to achieve a common goal and compromising where differences arise.   Only children, however, tend to be friends with their parents first, and friendships with peers develop later...