LIFE

You and your sibling share some of your favorite memories. And, if you’re the youngest, your bro or sis really has been by your side since day one. You’re both crazy busy during the school year, so there aren’t as many opportunities to fight over who has to walk the dog or who gets to ride shotgun. But summer vacay = tons of extra time with your fam. Here’s how to keep the peace with your sib this year.

Bond over what you have in common.
Could you and your sis quote Dora the Explorer as kids? Then go see Dora and the Lost City of Gold in theaters August 9. Turning your shared interests into inspiration for summer activities will save you from arguing over the little things because you’ll remember how much fun you can actually have together.

Keep separate interests separate.
Your bro could spend the entire summer working on his free throw, but you’d rather work on your freestyle stroke at the city pool. It’s easy to think that what you like to do is what your sibling should be doing. However, you guys don’t have to agree about everything. Instead of hiding his basketball and making fun of his hobby, allow your bro to have that as his personal space.

Tag-team new experiences.
So your fave restaurant has a humongous ice cream sundae challenge that you’re allowed to tackle with a partner. Why not invite your sib to grab a spoon with you? Experiencing things that are totally unfamiliar to both of you is a great way to break up your normal summer routine. Because neither of you has done the activity, you’ll be able to learn together and add even more mems to your relationship.

Listen first, talk (but don’t yell!) second.
Two straight months of humidity is definitely enough to make you feel a lil’ irritable. You may be on the verge of hitting one of your sibs with a verbal smack-down (How dare she take the biggest beach towel?!), but before you start screaming every mean word that comes to mind, use your inside voice to let her know what’s bugging you. She’ll be more likely to hear you out if you keep your cool, and there will be less of a chance of one of you hurting the other’s feelings for a silly reason.

How do you and your siblings survive your shared summer days?

by Megan Sawey | 8/3/2019