Burying The Hatchet And Learning To Get Along With Your Siblings

Sometimes it is more difficult to get along with your siblings when you are adults than it was when you were children.  This is caused by many different factors.  Sometimes we have hard feelings over things that have happened years ago.  We may still sense favoritism from our parents.  We may not agree with the lifestyle that our siblings have chosen to live.  But there are ways to deal with all of those differences and get along.

The first thing to do when you have trouble getting along with your siblings is examine your feelings and see if there is anything that you are holding a grudge against them for.  If there is, work to overcome that.  Remind yourself that you are not perfect either and may have done things to hurt them at times throughout life.  If it is possible, maybe you can talk this over and gain closure in that way.

Drop the judgmental attitude.  You may not agree with the fact that your siblings are choosing to live differently than you are but you should respect them.  After all, they may not agree with your chosen lifestyle.  Focus on enjoying each other’s company instead of being drawn into a debate over what is right and what is wrong.  Many times, the issues are not worth the argument.

Remember that with every conflict between siblings that there are others who are affected.  Those people include your spouse and family as well as your aging parents.  Even if you are dealing with a really self-centered and childish sibling or siblings, make the choice to be the bigger person and do what you can to keep the peace.

Another helpful article you can read for more information is by Family Life.  The title of the article is Getting Along With Adult Siblings.

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