Sibling rivalry is real. Be it fighting for an extra piece of chocolate, being your parent’s favorite to arguing over clothes, sibling rivalries make stories, some that we all (including the family) remember fondly when we grow up.
If the constant bickering between you and your sibling made you angry and anxious, it is time you know that it is in fact considered healthy, according to Science. The study conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge, said that fighting with siblings as a child actually helps you grow emotionally as well as mentally. Those who fought with their siblings will have a better sense of reason than those who didn’t.
The research titled Toddlers Up, observed 140 kids, which established that siblings have a lot of influence on each other. In fact, fighting with your siblings when you are younger, helps in developing your social skills. When siblings argue, the way they frame their arguments plays an important role in improving mental health and smooth development. Most brothers and sisters try to resolve an argument verbally and that allows them a chance to have a good grab over their mental abilities and cognizance.
So even if you have been at each other’s throat most of the times, these arguments and fights actually helped you grow into a smart individual. And you can credit your sibling for all the fights they had with you for turning you into a balanced person now.
To benefit from such rivalries, you have to put those childhood difference behind you as you grow older to become a better and a wiser person. However, if your sibling rivalry stretches beyond childhood into adulthood, it may not have helped you grow emotionally. We agree that there are some sibling rivalries that turn toxic in time, but we need to have the right intervention to combat the issues it can lead to in future. Having said that, having occasional healthy fights with your sibling as a grown up are not all bad – they still make you a good person.
So say thanks to all the healthy childhood drama.