A big sister can be as influential in a child’s life as their parents. Younger siblings look up to older siblings for guidance and acceptance. A lot of responsibility comes with being an older sister. Whether you want it or not, your siblings will be influenced by your behavior and choices. So, be sure to make good decisions like doing well in school and being respectful towards your parents. Your younger brother or sister will emulate the way you live your life. If you’re making poor decisions, they will follow that too. But with this great responsibility comes great rewards.

Here are my 15 tips for being a better big sister:

1. Be A Good Influence

Children are very influenced by their older siblings, possibly more than their parents. This is because they find their brothers and sisters to be more relatable to them, and closer in age. It is so important to be a good example for your younger siblings, and the older you get, the more this will make sense. Make decisions you would want them to make in life.

2. Respect Your Parents

If your younger brother sees you cursing or being outright disrespectful towards your parents, they will think this is normal behavior. In addition, they will use this to justify being rude to other people in their life such as peers, friends, and family. This also translates to disrespecting other authority figures like their teachers in school.

3. Really Listen To Them

Part of being a good listener to your sibling or anyone is letting them talk without fear of judgment. A good listener will let the person speak openly and freely about their problems. Even if they are saying something you don’t like, try not to have a bias or project shame on them. Also, when they’re speaking, let them say what they have to say without you interrupting them.

Be A Good Listener For Your Siblings

4. Be Aware Of Your Behavior

When you live with a younger sibling you have to be aware of the way you carry yourself. If you’re always seen smoking and drinking in front of your siblings, what kind of example does that set for them? I’m not saying that you can’t drink, but I would suggest doing it when your younger sibling isn’t around. There is no reason for them to see that. 

5. Help Them Through Issues

A time will come when your younger sibling runs into problems. They may feel embarrassed and confused and need someone to talk to that won’t judge them. When you’re young, problems with friends can seem like the end of the world. However, as you get older, you have an easier time handling conflict and challenges with other people.

6. Share Secrets With Them

Sharing secrets and telling them what’s on in your life is what builds bonds between people. Or you can spy on text messages to keep track of them. But, if you do share small things like the events you are planning, you will feel closer to the other person. Fill them in on your life and plans to make them feel included.

Improve Your Bond By Sharing Secrets

7. Have A Good Work Ethic

This goes along with setting a good example, but you don’t realize how important this is. When your younger sibling sees you getting good grades in school, it makes them want to do the same. Also, going to college and working hard shows the value of education. Hearing that from their parents may seem annoying, but hearing it from their siblings is different.

8. Support Them In Life

If they are starting a new sports team or playing a new instrument, be there and support them. Give them the confidence and courage they need when starting something new. They may not show it, but they will really appreciate having their older sibling supporting them. I’m sure they want to make you proud. 

9. Teach Them New Things

Help children expand their minds through educational activities. In this age, kids don’t read books nearly as much as they should. Encourage your sibling to read from time to time to stimulate their brain. Take them to the library and make an afternoon out of it. Let them pick out a book and make it a fun experience. Also, this teaches responsibility since they have to return the book.

Teach Them New Things

10. Do Fun Activities With Them

You can teach them as much as you want, but they are kids at the end of the day. They want to have fun and play games, as you did too as a kid. Bond with them through playing sports or games to spend time together. Let them choose an activity for one weekend and make the time for it.”

11. Don’t Compare Them To Other Siblings

It’s so easy for siblings to compare themselves to each other. However, all this does is create self-doubt and lead to resentment. Every individual and sibling is different, some will be better at sports and others at reading. Instead of comparing your skills or the number of friends you have to your siblings, remember that everyone is different. This is important for older siblings to know as well as parents.

12. Be Loyal & Trustworthy

As siblings, you need to be loyal and stick up for each other. If someone is bothering your younger sibling, you should help and defend them. While not everyone does this, it’s part of being a family. Loyalty goes hand in hand with trust, which kids need growing up. Parents and big sisters need to trust the children, especially when they get cell phones.

Stick Up For Your Siblings

13. Stay Away From Strangers

You aren’t naive to the world and your siblings shouldn’t be either. Even if you have to scare them, tell them how the world can be. There are evil-minded individuals out there that want to hurt children. Make sure you tell your younger sibling to stay away from people they don’t know. A stranger could easily tell them “I’m a friend of your mom’s” to lower their guard. Give them scenarios for spotting people that could be dangerous to them.

14. Tell Them You Love Them

Older siblings have a reputation for being rude and uncaring towards their siblings. But that isn’t always true. Many older sisters are very kind and mother-like towards their siblings. Make sure to tell your younger siblings that you do love them and care about them, even though you may clash sometimes.

15. Get A Parent If Needed

While your role as an older sibling is extremely important, at the end of the day, you’re not their parent. For specific issues, a parent has to step in and fix the situation especially if it involves another authority figure like a teacher. In this case, you can be a better big sister by letting the parents take hold of the situation.

There’s A Special Bond Between Siblings

No matter what the age difference is, having a strong and positive bond with your younger siblings is important. This sibling relationship can affect the way they grow and mature into adults. Based on the path you took as the older sibling, they will follow a similar one. Make life easier for your parents by encouraging good behavior and condoning bad behavior. Not only will your parents be happy with you, but your younger brother or sister will be grateful to you.