Having a young sister, brother or both can be fun but sometimes tough. Sometimes younger siblings are annoying and rightly so because they are developing a sense of individuality and independence. “Me and my kid brother Josh quarrel and fight about everything! Josh is a spoilt brat! He plunges into my room without knocking, borrows my stuff without asking! Sometimes I wish I was an only child!” said 16-year-old Irene Mukazi. You are not alone, everyone from your parents to your teacher can recount tons of times when they have quarreled with their brothers or sisters. If you want to live in peace with your siblings, this is what you should do. The best way to get your point across in any situation is to explain your feelings in a calm and mature way. You could ask your mom or dad to help you by being a neutral listener. This way the conversation will not end up in a name-calling and fighting match. Be gentle. The most important thing for you to understand about your younger siblings is that they look up to you. Explain your need for privacy, but make sure they also understand that you still love them and want to spend some time together. Younger siblings value the opinions of their older brothers and sisters when it comes to dressings, friends and music. You are totally cool to them. Permit your brother or sister to sit in your room with you and your friends for a while, if that’s what he wants, underneath their silly behaviour, they are just curious about what big kids talk about. If you let your sibling hang around a bit, let them listen to the music on your iPod for a while, the mystery will disappear and before you know it, they will be off doing their own thing. Though it is also your parents’ responsibility to maintain order in the household, sooner or later, you will need to learn to handle situations, share and get along with others. Ends
