7 things all younger sisters need their big sisters to know.

It’s a unique relationship – different to friendship, family and lustful affairs.

It’s a relationship that you are forced in to at birth and will have for the rest of your life. It’s an unbreakable bond, otherwise known as sisterhood.

And as a younger sibling you grow up admiring your  older sister, disagreeing with her, laughing with her, crying with her, fighting and yelling with her. You grow up leaning on her, talking to her, hugging her, boozing with her and taking her advice even if she thinks you don’t want it.

So, on behalf of younger sisters everywhere – here is what we want you to know, our older sisters.

1. You don’t need to feel responsible for us – we can handle life.

Being the older sister means you take on the responsibility as the caretaker, the protector and the know-it-all. But we don’t need it – not all of the time. We have our own path in life and we can fight our own battles. We love your advice, but let us make our own mistakes. And let us care for you sometimes, let us be the shoulder for you to lean on – you don’t have to be an independent role model all the time and you don’t always have to have the answer.

2. Your wardrobe will always be our wardrobe too.

Your clothes will always be free-for-all to your siblings as will your shoes, handbags, make-up and hair products. If something goes missing, we have not stolen it or even borrowed it – we have taken it as a right that all sisters have. So thanks for the extras.

3. Our opinions are as valid as yours.

Yes we like to have opinions. Yes we like to be heard. Yes we really care about what you think about our thoughts, so please sit down and listen to us. Even if you think what we’re saying is wrong or misinformed just give us the space to have our say. And then, smile and nod and make us believe that you agree with at least one point we’ve just made – because you’re our older sister and we value your opinion (even if we’d never admit it).

4. The competition is making us both better people.

Younger sisters are competitive, but it doesn’t mean we don’t want you to succeed (just don’t be better than us). You got some time to yourself before we were born, we have had to battle against the ‘other sister’ ever since we entered this world – so let us take the glory sometimes (or all the time if you feel inclined).

5. Please don’t say that growing up was so much harder for you.

Ok, we get it. You were the ‘trial’ child. You had to break all the rules first, you had to go on the first date, get the first fake I.D, bring the first boy home, get the first real job and protect us. But think about it, you’re so much wiser than us. You’re the ones that have taught us everything through your own mistakes. So thank you – for burning the bridges before we got to them.

6. Find a few friends that will always be there for you.

Because, while sisters are a forever thing life tends to throw us curve balls and we can’t guarantee that we’ll always be at arms length for you to reach out to. We hope that you find friends who can look after you when we can’t be there. Don’t replace us, but find some women that come close.

7. We look up to you and are so lucky to have you.

We may not say this often enough, or we may have never admitted it to you – but we admire you, look up to you and want to be just like you in a lot of ways. We brag about you to our friends, you’re the first person we call when we need help, when we need to cry or when we have something to celebrate. You’re our sibling and our best friend. As a woman, there’s nothing better than having an older sister to get through life with.

It’s a relationship we’re forced in to at birth and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

What do you want your sister (or brother) to know?