LIFE

Sometimes, it can feel like nothing you do can possibly live up to your parents' standards, especially if you have a sibling that is constantly raising the bar higher and higher. Even if your parents love and support both of you, things can gradually become tense. At times, it might even feel like you're in a competition not only for your parents' praise but even for their affection. While sibling rivalries can definitely be challenging to navigate, we have some advice.

1. Find a unique passion
If you find yourself consistently following in your sibling's footsteps, ask yourself if you're doing so because the two of you genuinely have similar interests or if you're in pursuit of one-upping them. If you realize it's actually the latter, find your own hobby that makes you light up inside. When you do, the sense of accomplishment you gain each step of the way will feel so much more rewarding.

2. Refuse to play into the drama
If your sibling asks you pointed questions about something like your grades or your mile time, clearly trying to see how you measure up, simply smile and say you don't want to jinx it. It's the perfect way to classily avoid answering their question while also not stirring up unnecessary drama.

3. Confide in a friend
While you might feel pressured to have a closer bond with your sibling purely based on the fact that the two of you share the same genes, it's totally normal to go through rough patches. If you're uncomfortable opening up with them, share what you're going through with a close friend that you trust. It'll be a relief to get how you're feeling off your chest, and it's possible that your friend has been through something similar, especially if they have siblings of their own.

4. Ask an adult for help
If you feel like it would be helpful to have a trusted adult like one of your parents, another relative or a school guidance counselor step in and mediate a discussion between the two of you, reach out. Even if they push you to continue to try to work through your relationship with your sibling independently, they'll probably have tools and strategies that you may not have thought of before.

Have you ever dealt with this prob before? Tell us how you handled it below! 

Photo credit:GIPHY.

by Katherine Logan | 12/23/2017