National Siblings Day:

Celebrated on 10th April, National Siblings Day is observed to cherish the unique bond between siblings. In the love-hate medley of sibling relationships, the bond that siblings have is unique.

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Why Siblings Day?

Siblings hold a special place in our lives, whether you would like to admit it or not. Your siblings become your first playmate, roommate, motivator, partner in crime, enemy, friend, and confidant. But many times you might find yourself to be very different from your siblings even though you share almost 50 percent of the same genetic makeup and even if you have been brought up by the same parents under the same living conditions. The combination of stark differences and similarities between siblings creates a dynamic relationship that makes the sibling bond one of a kind.

A large part of our life is all about interacting with our fellow beings in various capacities and building our whole life in this interconnected web of relations and friendships. Having a sibling exposes you to situations that you wouldn’t have to face otherwise as a single child. They help you to train for the outside world that awaits you and prepares you to deal with the worst and best that comes along your path. Your first lessons in sharing, dealing with issues, quarreling and negotiation were ushered in by your interactions with your sibling, which will, in turn, be instrumental in your life as an adult.

Even with all the bickering and annoyance daily, having a sibling has positive effects on your well-being in the long run. You and your siblings have a common ground, a shared history of growing together through all those awkward years and they tend to understand you better than others. Even if you turn out to be a different person and even if you are not in contact with them very often when there is a need, your sibling is the first person that you are likely to approach and confide in.

Siblings often grow up competing with each other over various things. From winning a video game to scoring better than you in school, they might go to any extent to be their parent’s favorite child and gain respect from the family. This competitive spirit is something that helps you to thrive in a competitive world. Through your experience with your siblings, you will be able to differentiate between cut-throat competition and healthy competition as you end up competing with yourself and your peers.

It’s often observed that the elder siblings endorse the role of a caretaker or a second parent. This can be due to the common practice of parents leaving their oldest child in charge of the younger children. Elder siblings may also be in a better position to help the younger ones and may empathize with them better. The younger siblings usually turn out to be the pranksters and the funnier ones. Though exceptions are common in these general observations, siblings can offer better guidance to each other when the advice of their parents does not help them much.

Throughout the year’s many studies have tried to comprehend and evaluate the effects of having siblings. Many factors such as age gap, gender, personality, family background affect the relationship between siblings, such that a generalized conclusion is often inaccurate. While having a sibling is usually considered to be a positive influence on growing children, the cumulative results depend on your sibling’s character and your interaction. Some surveys show that being bullied by siblings in your childhood may lead to self-harming habits and depression.

Sibling relationships have also been the crux of several literary masterpieces. These stories display the effects that siblings have on each other. Many of these siblings’ stories show how they made it through tough times by being there for each other and inspiring one another to do better. From the Pevensie siblings in Narnia who stick together to rescue the brother who betrayed them to the Ender siblings in Ender’s game who were completely different from each other, these books have captured our hearts and imaginations through the endearing sibling relationships portrayed through the protagonists.

While some hostile sibling interactions might mess up your head, generally having siblings is good for you in the long term. After all, blood is thicker than water and having a family member to support you through the rough waters in life is a comfort. This day hence commemorates the time-honored relationship that is valued and celebrated in almost every culture. Our siblings certainly qualify as one of the greatest influencers in our life. If not for the good influence, you are still stuck with them for the rest of your life because they have too much dirt on you and threaten you for the rest of your life.

How Can We Observe National Siblings Day:

• Give the most valuable gift-Your time!

Don’t wait for another thanksgiving or Christmas to meet up with your siblings. Call up your sibling and wish them well and let them know that you are thinking about them. Try to be there for them during the difficult phases in their life and be their pillar for support.

• Video of Memories

You can make them a short video of all the great moments you had together and share it with your siblings.

• Pamper Them With Some Love

Make a beautiful card for your siblings and let them know how much you care for them. You can also gift them their favorite goodies or take them out for dinner and talk about the good old days when you fought over the remote control.

• Visit The Place Of Your Childhood

The best way to rekindle your sibling relationship is to visit the places that you grew up together and share those memories whether good or bad. You might also find out the truth behind your broken controller or your favorite clothing that was torn into shreds.

• Share Your Childhood Photos

You can post your favorite childhood photos with your siblings on social media and let them know how much you miss them, using #NationalSiblingDay and #SiblingDay.

Interesting Facts On National Siblings Day:

 Few Facts Related To National Siblings Day

• One of the popular siblings’ day celebrations, Raksha Bandhan, began in 400 BC. It is celebrated by Hindus to commemorate the sibling bond between brothers and sisters
• The European Large Families Confederation (ELFAC) launched a siblings day holiday in 2014 which is observed by European countries and the associate members of ELFAC.
• The Siblings Day Foundation was founded by Claudia Evart to honor the memory of her late sister and brother. It is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization and the recognition of this holiday was one of its main goals.

• In 2016, National Siblings Day was recognized by President Obama.

• According to various studies, the elder siblings are said to have a higher IQ and the younger siblings are said to have a better sense of humor.
• According to surveys, men prefer to be the older sibling, whereas women prefer to be the youngest.

History Of National Siblings Day:

This Day was founded in 1995 by a New Yorker, Claudia Evart, in memory of brother Alan and her sister Lisette who passed away in separate accidents at an early age. April 10th was selected in honor of her late sister’s birthday.