Sibling relationships are some of the strongest and longest relationships a person can have in his or her life. Siblings go through many different experiences together, joyful and traumatic. They see each other at their best, worst and all stages in between.

Because siblings often experience the same daily routine, they can teach each other many important social skills that a parent may not be able to teach. Stephanie Kramer, a second year doctoral student in social psychology, believes that siblings can serve as important teachers of informal social competencies.

“Children with siblings develop theory of mind earlier, which is the understanding that others have beliefs, knowledge, desires, etc. that are different from one’s own,” Kramer said.

Siblings not only teach each other what to do, but also what not to do. Kids will remember seeing their brother or sister get in trouble and remember not to repeat the same mistake. Together, through trial and error, they learn exactly what they can and cannot get away with.

Siblings are safe peers to bounce crazy ideas off of and also tell you painful truths about yourself that no other person could or would tell you. Trust is a huge part of sibling relationships and many siblings trust each other wholeheartedly. With such strong trust they know that when they ask for each other’s opinion they are going to get the truth, even if it is not exactly what they want to hear.

Having a close relationship with your siblings when living under the same roof is easy, but siblings often drift apart as they start their own journeys.

Siblings Samantha and Ahron DeBenedetti hope to keep their strong relationship throughout their lives. They have had to face a lot of the same challenges as they went to the same middle school and high school. Samantha and Ahron are transitioning into an adult lifestyle in Eugene.

“We have never really had a lot of the same friends because of our age difference, but somehow we always know when something is going on in each others’ lives,” Ahron said.

The DeBenedetti’s have had their fair share of sibling rivalries, but what siblings haven’t? It is inevitable that siblings are going to fight, but in fighting and reconciling they learn the ups and downs of relationships.

“Going to college in the same town has been different than living at home,” Samantha said, “We no longer have to be nice to each other, we want to be nice to each other.”

Having to grow up with siblings can help prepare for situations in adulthood, such as challenges with coworkers or with a significant other.

Maintaining a strong relationship with your siblings is beneficial in the long run because you can understand each others transitions throughout life. Falling out with a sibling or having a relationship go downhill can create distance between all members of the family and often leads to jealousy. However, if the relationship stays tightly knitted and supportive, then the successes of your siblings will bring you joy, guidance and positive drive to make your own successes.