Siblings: you can’t live with ‘em, you can’t live without ‘em. Brothers and sisters have complicated relationships in many families. They might push each other around and tease one another endlessly, but they’ll quickly turn into bold bodyguards if they find out anyone else is picking on their siblings. That’s a right only reserved for family.

And as rare as it may be to see two siblings being outwardly affectionate, these moments can be extremely heartwarming. That is, unless someone finds their behavior to be unsettling. Below, you’ll find a story that one man shared on Reddit detailing how his close relationship with his brother caused a rift between him and his girlfriend, as well as a conversation with Amy Morrison, Founder of Pregnant Chicken.

This man and his brother have become incredibly close since their parents passed

Image credits: Zinkevych_D (not the actual image)

But when his girlfriend found the siblings sleeping on the same couch, she blew up at them

Image credits: Prostock-studio (not the actual image)

Later, the man shared an update on his relationship status

Image credits: kmm222-

“These brothers sound like they have a close, special bond that they prioritize”

For most of us, our siblings are our first friends in life. They’re always there to push us down on the playground, teach us how to steal cookies from the pantry without getting caught, start fights with us in the backseat during road trips and show us how to play games that we’ll try our entire lives to beat them at. Sibling relationships can be complicated, messy and tumultuous, but they can also be incredibly loving.

As a kid, my brothers and I went through many phases of being close and then growing apart for a while. Our relationships ebbed and flowed based on many factors, but as adults, we’ve become very close. Unfortunately, none of us live in the same place anymore, so we only get to reunite once or twice a year. But I’m so thankful to have these built-in best friends that I know I can rely on whenever I need support or want to have a good time.

To learn more about the complicated nature of sibling dynamics, we reached out to parenting expert and Founder of Pregnant Chicken, Amy Morrison. “I think a close relationship with a sibling is incredibly special because it’s not a given that everyone will be close with their siblings,” Amy shared. “Siblings have a unique bond because they’ve often walked the same path, so they have an understanding of the life their brothers and sisters have led.”

But Amy believes that it’s not necessary to actually have brothers and sisters of your own to understand the sibling relationship. “Even if you have siblings, relationships can vary wildly from super close to no contact at all, so all you need is empathy and acceptance to understand the dynamics in other families,” she told Bored Panda.

We were also curious what the expert thought of this particular situation. “These brothers sound like they have a close, special bond that they prioritize. They don’t need any other advice other than to keep it up,” Amy shared.

Having close relationships with your brothers and sisters can have a positive impact on your entire life

It’s estimated that about 80% of people in the United States grow up with siblings, so the vast majority of us know the struggle of competing for attention, snacks and the passenger seat in Mom or Dad’s car. And apparently, having a close relationship with your brothers and sisters can lead to living a healthier and happier life overall.

CNN reports that a Harvard study that began in 1937 found that 93% of men who claimed to be close to a sibling in their youth were doing well medically, financially, physically and psychologically at the age of 65. At the same time, a 2007 study found that having difficult relationships with siblings in childhood has been linked to major depression in adults.     

And in 2012, a Dutch study reported that adults who had endured substantial life challenges such as divorce, addiction, financial issues and mental health problems often had a history of tumultuous or strained relationships with their brothers and sisters. While it’s not easy to pinpoint exactly why this happens, it’s clear that having a solid relationship with your closest relatives can be beneficial in all aspects of life. 

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Sibling relationships are often multifaceted

According to Psychology Today, growing up in a household with siblings affects a child’s social skills, levels of empathy, how agreeable a kid may be and more. Plus, there are certain traits that often are attributed based on birth order. For example, eldest siblings tend to be high achievers, while middle children are often peacemakers. And youngest siblings are frequently babied by their parents, which can impact their personalities. 

It’s also perfectly normal for siblings to have a healthy amount of rivalry between one another, which might manifest as anything from harsh words to physical fighting. I’m not proud of it, but I definitely slammed my younger brother’s fingers in a door once when we were kids. (He’s fine.) But there’s something about these conflicts that can bring siblings closer together once they’re resolved. The amount of love brothers and sisters have for each other is often extremely powerful.

Unfortunately, not all sibling relationships last forever. And some end up being estranged or with minimal contact due to familial issues. But for many, the friendships they’ve forged with their brothers and sisters are some of the closest relationships they’ll ever have. We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda piece discussing family drama, look no further than right here!      

The brother also clarified some details about the situation

Many readers assured him that he had done nothing wrong by looking out for his brother

Others, however, thought that the whole situation was bizarre

And some believed that both the brother and his girlfriend reacted poorly

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