Our Older Siblings: Friends And Second Parents

The older brothers did not ask to be. One fine day their lives changed with the arrival of that younger brother. That spoiled and whiny little boy to whom his parents, suddenly, offered almost all the attention.

It took him some time to assume that he was no longer the only child in the house. That it was no longer the prince to whom all the toys and all the caresses were destined.

He had to learn to share affection, to take care of his clothes and his books, so that later they could be inherited by the younger brother or siblings.

Almost without knowing how, after those years of little jealousy and harsh concessions, something strange followed that he didn’t quite know how to define. As he grew up, it became clear to him that he had a role, a right and an obligation:

• Tending and caring for those special friends, those little siblings who, after all, were part of her heart.

We invite you to reflect on it.

Older siblings, vital travel companions

Not everyone has a good relationship with their older siblings. However, for a part of the population they represent essential psychological and emotional support.

We share with them the same origin and the same history that, at times, may not have been exactly easy.

They give us roots, they unite us to those decisive days such as childhood and youth. They are also the ones who support us towards maturity.

An older brother is like a second father or second mother

The older brother may have been forced at the time to rethink himself in many aspects, when new guests came into his life claiming his “position.”

For many children it is, without a doubt, something complex that parents must learn to manage. It is necessary to cover the affective needs of all the siblings equally.

Only when all children are loved in the same way by their parents are fears and doubts appeased. This gives way to a much more enriching and powerful dimension: the older siblings become protective of the younger ones.

• They are also the ones who are going to live the first experiences of which the little ones will follow the example.
• The older brother is the one who will offer advice.  Those that, sometimes, adolescents do not dare to ask their parents.
• They are the ones who will intuit at all times what they need and will explain how to do certain things. Taking care that the little ones do not make the same mistakes.

When the relationship that is maintained with the parents is somewhat complex or is not as satisfactory as it should be, the bond established by the siblings is much more intense.

That small vital circle between older and younger siblings rises up like a wall to protect yourself. It is there where you get support and emotional strategies to deal with any difficulty.

These are facts that, if lived in early childhood, are not usually forgotten in adulthood.

Despite everything, the love of older brothers is unconditional

I may not tell you often. In fact, it is very possible that that older brother is not one of those who shows too much how much he loves you or what you mean in his life. Now, you can intuit it in:

• His concern for you.
• On your calls.
• In those moments that you share where you become children again.
• You also notice it in the simple fact of perceiving how he puts you before many things, reflecting, once again, his protective instinct.

Older siblings are a pillar in your life. Sometimes they make you wonder what your day would be like without that exceptional and wonderful bond.

It is curious how, often, it is said that brothers “are the enemies we love the most. ” There are reflected those complex childhood years in which mischief, screaming and jealousy marked the occasional moment.

However, all these vital scraps also serve us to educate our children much better in the future since:

• We will understand that jealousy and arguments are normal.
• We will also try to treat them all equally, without discriminating by gender.
• We will also avoid overloading the older brother with responsibilities just for being a few years older.

Older siblings: lucky

A childhood inhabited by love, affection and respect is vital for every child to grow up in a mature, safe and free way.

If they are also lucky enough to have an older brother by their side, they will discover those “best friends” that they did not have to choose, figures of great importance that will further enrich their lives and with whom they will count every day.