Sibling relationships impact bullying: Here’s how

Sibling relationships are one of the most complicated yet significant relationships of a person’s life. Mostly, there is plenty of room for competition, jealousy, insecurity and disagreement because they share the same environment, parents and resources to thrive on. Even though the relationship can have a lot of negative elements, it is also one of the best and most stable relationships that one can have. Siblings are people one grows up with and shares a life with. These people know us inside out and stay by our side even after our parents leave, acting as a strong support system.

Although there has been limited research on how sibling relationships impact bullying, there have been widely accepted theories about how important sibling relationships are. Sibling relationships can also help people overcome and heal from traumatizing bullying experiences, research has shown. Here’s how sibling relationships can impact bullying.

A healthy sibling relationship helps shape a person and can have as much influence in a person’s life as parental relationships do. A healthy relationship means great benefits and long term advantages in life. Here are the benefits that a healthy sibling relationship can have.

Having a person that belongs to the same age group in your vicinity makes room for all kinds of conversations. Having a sibling allows one to learn how to negotiate and present one’s opinion freely and express their emotions in a socially acceptable way. In case your child encounters a bully at school or anywhere, their interaction skills can help them tackle difficult situations with ease.

While most people will like to agree with you in all situations, you can always count on your siblings for brutal honest opinions on everything. This can create a difference in opinions at times but can also be a way in which your siblings look out for you. Siblings, mostly older ones, can spot fake friends, potential abusive partners and insincere relations. They can also warn you about potential bullies and bullying hotspots that you should avoid.

When you grow up with an individual who is nearly your age, you get a look in to the experiences that they might have. Since siblings are closely related, discomfort to one can make the other one feel the same discomfort and foster empathy in them for other people including friends and acquaintances. If a sibling is bullied, the other one can experience it without actually experiencing it and can have enough empathy to support a friend going through the same situation. It also prepares them better to manage such situations.

Children know that their parents will always be there for them, no matter what. However, sharing experiences such as bullying with parents is not the easiest thing to do. Siblings act as a strong support system and make one feel as supported as parents do and makes it easier for them to open up about their difficult experiences such as bullying. It also helps them cope better with these situations.

Like the benefits that healthy sibling relationships have, the consequences of unhealthy sibling relationships are multiple, too. Children learn unhealthy behavioral patterns like manipulation, coercion and aggression because a bad sibling relationship not only promotes bullying but also hinders development. Excessive abuse, violence, conflict or rivalry can lead to stunted development and engagement in substance abuse and a poor academic performance in the future.