The ups and downs of attempting to live up to a sibling
“Why can’t you be like your sister?”
It is easy to compare yourself to others, whether they are friends, coworkers, or strangers, but especially siblings. For many, siblings are an endless source of comparison. Sophomore Joshua Vendrow said, “Edward and I are twins, so we are naturally close to each other, but that also means there is a lot of competition between us. We often compare our grades with each other. It drives us to do better in our classes. My older brother, David, is a figure for me to follow. It is an expectation in my family that I be as good as my brothers.” |
For many younger siblings, there is pressure to perform as well as their older sibling, just as sophomore Anna Singer has with her older sister, Alex Singer who is a senior.
The younger Singer said, “I want to live up to her. I try to do as well as she did [in school]. I’m not the most vocal person in class, and she is. With teachers who know her but don’t know me that well, I feel like I’m not what the teachers expect after having her.”
Often, older siblings feel the need to set the standards and stay ahead of their younger siblings in school.
Sophomore Laura McGann said, “If your younger sibling beats you at something, you feel like you have to outdo them again to establish your superiority.”
In addition to “establishing their superiority,” many older siblings serve as a guide for their younger siblings through school, trying out classes and providing insight.
Sophomore Justin Lee said, “Brandon, as the older brother, was the guinea pig for school classes and activities. Based on his experience and workload when he was in my grade, my parents and I decided on the classes that I should take.”
Not only in academics, older siblings also set the example in extracurricular activities, such as sports and clubs.
Anna Singer said, “I do Mock Trial because of my sister. I did sports like she did, I followed her in softball, gymnastics, and soccer. I always ended up stopping around the same place she did.”
Sibling dynamics vary in every case. Some siblings are really similar, while others are polar opposites, some sibling are extremely close while others can’t stand each other’s presence.
Sophomore Risako Nozaki who has a twin at the school said, “Natsuko and I have always been together. We don’t talk over each other, and that is really good. I’ve always had a really good relationship with her.”
However, even close sibling don’t always get along. Sometimes there are disagreements and arguments over things both big and small.
Anna Singer said, “My sister and I have a love-hate relationship of sorts. Sometimes we are really close but other times we get into fights, but I guess all siblings do that.”
No matter the relationship, siblings can motivate each other to reach higher and achieve more.
The younger Lee said, “I feel that competition is in our nature as brothers. I would like to match his quality of work. His achievements have set expectations for me, I want a leadership position in Key Club like he has.”
Though competition is tough and being compared to others is never a pleasant feeling, sibling often help each other acknowledge their strengths and find their interests.
Risako Nozaki said, “She's a lot better at math and science, but I’m better at languages. Competition is definitely hard, but it is a friendly, helpful competition. Siblings push you in a nice way. She knows what I am capable of and pushes me to do more. It is supportive. We expect more out of each other, and we work towards that. We recognize each other’s strengths.”
The younger Singer said, “I want to live up to her. I try to do as well as she did [in school]. I’m not the most vocal person in class, and she is. With teachers who know her but don’t know me that well, I feel like I’m not what the teachers expect after having her.”
Often, older siblings feel the need to set the standards and stay ahead of their younger siblings in school.
Sophomore Laura McGann said, “If your younger sibling beats you at something, you feel like you have to outdo them again to establish your superiority.”
In addition to “establishing their superiority,” many older siblings serve as a guide for their younger siblings through school, trying out classes and providing insight.
Sophomore Justin Lee said, “Brandon, as the older brother, was the guinea pig for school classes and activities. Based on his experience and workload when he was in my grade, my parents and I decided on the classes that I should take.”
Not only in academics, older siblings also set the example in extracurricular activities, such as sports and clubs.
Anna Singer said, “I do Mock Trial because of my sister. I did sports like she did, I followed her in softball, gymnastics, and soccer. I always ended up stopping around the same place she did.”
Sibling dynamics vary in every case. Some siblings are really similar, while others are polar opposites, some sibling are extremely close while others can’t stand each other’s presence.
Sophomore Risako Nozaki who has a twin at the school said, “Natsuko and I have always been together. We don’t talk over each other, and that is really good. I’ve always had a really good relationship with her.”
However, even close sibling don’t always get along. Sometimes there are disagreements and arguments over things both big and small.
Anna Singer said, “My sister and I have a love-hate relationship of sorts. Sometimes we are really close but other times we get into fights, but I guess all siblings do that.”
No matter the relationship, siblings can motivate each other to reach higher and achieve more.
The younger Lee said, “I feel that competition is in our nature as brothers. I would like to match his quality of work. His achievements have set expectations for me, I want a leadership position in Key Club like he has.”
Though competition is tough and being compared to others is never a pleasant feeling, sibling often help each other acknowledge their strengths and find their interests.
Risako Nozaki said, “She's a lot better at math and science, but I’m better at languages. Competition is definitely hard, but it is a friendly, helpful competition. Siblings push you in a nice way. She knows what I am capable of and pushes me to do more. It is supportive. We expect more out of each other, and we work towards that. We recognize each other’s strengths.”