Siblings are bound to clash. The arguments are usually small and don’t last very long; however, is it possible for them to be damaging?

It is completely normal for siblings to fight, but when unhealthy rivalries form is when it can be very damaging. 

“A sibling who was verbally or physically abused by their brother or sister may see effects in all their relationships, including professional, romantic, and family relationships. They judge other people based on the rivalries they carry from their past. Interpersonal effectiveness is affected adversely,” stated BetterHelp in an article.

Junior Benjamin Roy, who happens to have a little sister, doesn’t seem to have that problem.

“I don’t argue with my sister a lot, but if we do it’s usually about something annoying that one of us is doing,” explained Roy.

Just like Roy, I also don’t argue with either of my siblings a lot. When I was younger, I wasn’t as close with my sister as I am now so we don’t have arguments as much as we used to.

Daisy Mora, a 2019 AAHS Graduate, gives her thoughts.

“We don’t fight often but when we do it’s about them not picking up after themselves,” said Mora. 

Fights tend to be perceived in a negative matter and it’s understandable, but they can teach important lessons such as cleaning up as Mora had mentioned.

I will admit that sometimes isn’t the case all the time. For example, whenever I ask my little brother to do something like lowering the volume down on his iPad, he usually cries or he’ll start arguing with me. Even though he gets on my nerves I still think he’s okay.

Having been said, other siblings have their own opinions.

“My sister is cool but can sometimes be a little annoying,” Roy stated.

“I think they’re alright- they are fun to be around,” added Mora. 

Although I do think of my brother in a somewhat positive light, we have a bit of a sibling rivalry. That doesn’t mean that we don’t enjoy each other’s company.

Awhile back, we had gone out to dinner with our extended family and I noticed that the adults weren’t paying any attention to him so I decided to entertain him by helping him figure out the crossword puzzle on his menu. He seemed to be really enjoying it and that made me happy to witness.

At the end of the day, sibling rivalries are bad if it happens to get out of hand. Occasional arguing is okay if it doesn’t affect the perception of that particular sibling. Having a sibling and being able to create memorable moments with them is great- even if not every second with them is perfect.