Sibling spats are no fun. Source: Shutterstock

I remember thinking that as time went by, maybe my still feeling crummy was just me overreacting. However, a new study seems to show that those fights we have with our siblings can have lasting negative effects on us — even a year later.

The study was conducted by a research team at the University Missouri, and they followed 145 pairs of adolescent siblings. Depending on the type of fight these duos had, the researchers found connections to varying types of negative consequences twelve months later.

Fights between the sibling pairs related to “violations of personal space and property” showed a connection to both a decrease in the individuals’ self-esteem and higher levels of anxiety. And those fights regarding “issues of equality and fairness?” Well, the researchers found a connection with more depression. It seems that the “last word” really doesn’t seem to be the last of these fights.

I’ll say that for me, fights with my brothers have always stung the most — often more than those with my friends, my boyfriend, even my parents. I think because my siblings were the ones who could relate most to what it was like to grow up in my same environment, I wanted us to be a really awesome team. When we disagreed on something, it just felt really personal. Plus, a fight happening where you live and can’t really distance yourself from is an added layer of rough.

The researchers of the original study have a couple suggestions for parents about how to keep sibling bickering at bay, and while I certainly can’t claim to be an expert on sibling relationships, there are a couple things that over the years I’ve tried to do to keep the sibling peace at least in my household.

I try to direct family conversation toward topics that can include all us kids, rather than just focusing on one person’s achievements in school or sports (I totally used to tally up how often we’d talk about my brothers’ games at dinner…). I also try to never assume what my brothers’ plans are. Too many times I’ve figured they didn’t need to use our shared car, only to have a blowout later when it turns out we all made separate plans.

Believe me, we still fight. I mean, it happens. But knowing how long-lasting those fights can be, I think it’s important to make sure like with any relationship, you’re taking the time to really respect the other person. Especially with this information that your sibling spats can leave you still feeling not-so-great even a while after, maybe trying to keep the peace between you and the sibs would be a good resolution for the new year that could keep all of you feeling healthier and happier.

Do you fight with your siblings? What are the things you most often fight about? Do you have any advice to share about getting along with your siblings? Tell us in the comments!

Do Your Parents Like You Better Than Your Siblings?

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Do you think they went shopping for their matching outfits together? | Source: Shutterstock

If you have a brother who’s ever accused your parents of favoring you over him, a new study says he may actually be right. . . Sort of.

Research suggests that parents spend a lot more money on daughters than they do on their sons, especially in terms of clothing. In a year, most parents shell out about $200 more on your stuff than on your brother’s (or brothers’, as the case may be). But does it really mean they’re favoring you? We don’t think so.

First of all, anyone with parents knows that in general, they complain a lot whenever they have to spend any money. We don’t think this is a move they’re making deliberately!

Secondly, not that you aren’t awesome–because, well, you are. You’re really awesome. But in this particular case, your insane levels of awesomeness likely don’t play a huge part in how much your folks are spending. We think a lot of it has to do with the fact that girls generally require a few more things–for example, if you’re short and little in the middle but have much back, you may need significant alterations to your pants–or to buy a lot of belts. (Believe me, I know. I know.) We also have a lot more accessories than guys do, and while those may not be expensive individually depending on where you shop, they add up: Think about all those trips to Claire’s when you’re like, “Oh, these earrings are buy one get one half off!” and wind up blowing $50. Even our underwear is expensive: Bras ain’t cheap! And think to special occasions like prom: Guys usually rent a tux or suit and that’s it, while we’ve got gowns, shoes, special undies, and accessories to worry about. It adds up!

Just because she spends more on you doesn’t mean she lives your little bro any less! | Source: Shutterstock

Then there’s the fact that a lot of girls’ clothing is simply more expensive than guys’ stuff is–just like our toiletries are pricier just because they come in pink packaging and smell more flowery than musky. Is it fair? No. But unless you want to shop in a guys’ section, it’s sort of something we have to deal with (which we can combat slightly by couponing and sale rack-ing). We also have a lot more to choose from, which the study also points out. Think about the mall you go to all the time: Chances are there a ton more women’s and girls’ clothing stores than guys’ ones, right? When you have that many options, you’ll likely to buy more stuff.

This is driven home a bit further by the fact that the study primarily looked at moms’ spending, not dads, and let’s be real: Your mom is a lot more likely to bring you home a cute blouse than she is to randomly pick up the Call of Duty because she thought it looked cool and thinks your brother would be into it. Add that to the fact that your parents are a lot more likely to get you clothing as a gift, whereas your brothers might rather have the new Diablo game, and really, it’s not a matter of liking you more (even though we totes do)–it’s just a matter of economics.

Do you think your parents favor you over your brother(s)? Do you think it’s fair that parents spend more on daughters than on sons? Tell us in the comments!

Are your clothing sizes tricking you into spending more cash?

Do you have brothers and/or sisters? Do you guys deal with sibling rivalry, or do you always get along? How competitive are you in general? Tell us everything in the comments!

Feel Like You Don’t Fit In? Here’s How To Deal

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