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Home Illness & disability Relationships Getting along with your brothers and sisters

Getting along with your brothers and sisters

Brothers and sisters can be your closest pals. But they also can give you a hard time. Even though they can be a pain, your brothers and sisters love you and care about you. It is normal for them to have mixed emotions about your illness or disability. Talking with your brothers and sisters about their feelings and yours can help "clear the air." It can also bring you closer together.

Here are some helpful sibling strategies:

1. Think about their feelings. Let your sisters and brothers know that you are trying to see their side of things. In turn, they may try to be more accepting of your needs and feelings.
2. Tell them as much as you can about your illness or disability. Talking to your brothers and sisters about your illness or disability may help to get rid of any fears that they may have about it. It can also make them feel more involved, and it will be easier for them to support you.
3. Ask them to visit you in the hospital or go with you to your doctor appointments. Your brothers and sisters might understand your illness or disability better if your doctor explains it to them. Once they understand what you're going through, they can support you while you're at the doctor's office or the hospital.

Read more tips for getting along with your sisters and brothers.

Content last updated October 21, 2009

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