By Colleen Meosky
There’s no doubt that siblings can make life harder. I can fully attest to this fact with six siblings of my own (seven with my brother-in-law). I surveyed 12 East students, and here’s what they had to say.
Has a sibling ever taken your stuff?
This is a very common issue, with 100% of the surveyed students saying that this has happened to them.
Is it worse when a sibling steals leftovers or clothing?
83% (10 of 12) of people voted that they’d rather have clothing taken. Nobody wants to open the fridge and experience the complete devastation of not seeing their leftovers that they’ve been looking forward to eating all day.
“My sister always eats my leftover chicken. I don’t mind if she takes my sweaters, but when she takes my chicken, my protein source for my mid-afternoon snack is gone,” Gabe Guo, our editor-in-chief says.
Is it harder to be the oldest, youngest, or a middle child?
Students had strong opinions on this question. Three people answered oldest, two people said middle, and two claimed that the youngest is most difficult. People tended to believe that the youngest children face the most sibling grief, while the oldest has the most responsibilities. Middle children tend to receive less attention. However, one youngest child believed that she was forgotten more than her older siblings. Overall, each position seems to have equal hardships, varying based on a family’s dynamic.
Do you ever wish you had more siblings?
Vihaan Mujumdar, a freshman, said, “No, my crazy little sister is enough”. This was most peoples’ reaction. However, Mandi Mu, another freshman, said that she would really like to have an older sister, and another girl wants to have a brother.
Leo Yana-Romero, an only child, states, “I do wish that I had siblings. When I find myself thinking about the brother or sister I never had, I also think about how it would affect my lifestyle. I wonder if my siblings would have been companions or detractors. I obviously wouldn’t have any say as to what their personalities may have been like, but I believe that they could have spiced up my family life.”
