National Brothers and Sisters Day 2019
May 2 is National Brothers and Sisters Day 2019, and it may be something you want to share with your children. It’s not unusual for parents to take a stand and insist that their kids develop good relationships with each other. There can be tremendous value in having a sibling, though parents often have to force their kids to appreciate one another.
If you have one child, no worries. Statistics show that when asked if they would prefer not to be an only child, 38% said they are perfectly content with their status.
Below, learn some interesting statistics, information about the value of having siblings, and a few tips for celebrating National Brothers and Sisters Day.
Statistics about Brothers and Sisters
National Brothers and Sisters Day is a time set aside for adults to reflect on sweet childhood memories with their siblings. A survey was done in recognition of this national day, and some of the results follow:
- In the U.S., approximately 89% of the population has a brother and/or sister.
- Most people surveyed about which sibling they would prefer to be said an oldest child, at about 35%. Another 30% said they’d prefer to be the youngest. Approximately 17% would like to be the middle child, and about 13% said they’d like to be an only child.
- Words that were identified as best as far as describing relationships between brothers and sisters were (from most popular to least) love, support, fun, laughter, love/hate, and inside jokes.
- About 10% of people in the U.S. say their brother(s) and/or sister(s) are their best friends.
- Approximately 19% of Americans say that they are nothing like their sibling and that they are completely different.
- Sharing clothing with siblings is the experience of about 5% of Americans.
- Only about 5% of siblings regularly hang out with each other and share the same group of friends.
Benefits of Having Siblings
A lot of research has gone into determining the value of having siblings. The following is information from various sources about benefits of growing up with brothers and/or sisters.
- According to Real Simple magazine, it can make us live longer and live more selflessly when we grow up with siblings.
- Having siblings is a boost to mental health, says an article in the Huffington Post.
- The authoritative Parents magazine claims that having brothers and/or sisters can reduce stress, promotes better learning, and generates more fun and imagination.
- Siblings can share in the care of parents later in life, which can be an advantage to the entire family.
3 Ways to Celebrate National Brothers and Sisters Day
The following are three great ways to get into the spirit of National Brothers and Sisters Day.
- Have lunch or dinner with your sibling(s). Simply hang out together for a while and catch up on what’s going on in your lives. In the spirit of the occasion, make plans to meet face-to-face more often.
- Get together with siblings and visit favorite childhood haunts. Go through old photos and share special moments and memories with one another.
- Schedule a family vacation with just siblings. Other family members could go along, sure, but there’s something extra special when siblings share time together and create new memories during a brothers-and-sisters-only getaway.
