With the stay at home order in effect, sibling relationships are shifting, especially for those who help care for their younger siblings. With e-learning and a whole lot of togetherness, siblings are facing new challenges as well as a new appreciation for each other.

Sometimes when students are trying to do homework they may get distracted by their siblings. Destiny Wiser has two younger brothers. She complains that her siblings “are always yelling at each other on their video games.” Mackenzie Rosenthal agrees that her little sister is usually yelling, but her sibling “wants her attention so she can’t focus sometimes.”

During times like these it is always a good idea to keep the younger siblings entertained, and it helps the older siblings channel their younger selves. Wiser says, “I went on a walk with my brothers and we rode our bikes.” Rosenthal remarks, “I have been painting and playing board games with my sister.”

Students tend to think they know everything about their siblings because they are around them so much, but that’s not always the case. While being stuck in the house, they may get to know more. According to Rosenthal, “I have learned that my little sister is a pretty good drawer.” Wiser says she learned that her younger brother Derek “listens to sad music a lot.”

Having younger siblings sometimes can be a struggle when you have to stay at home with them all day long but there are ways to overcome it. According to Wiser the biggest struggle is her siblings “annoy her and comes downstairs to her room all the time.” Rosenthal also has trouble with her sibling annoying her, but her biggest struggle is “keeping her calm and sometimes I just want to be alone.”

For others watching their siblings, both Wiser and Rosenthal have some key ideas to success. Wiser advises that it is key to “keep them entertained” and important that students “don’t let them do something your parents wouldn’t let them do.” Rosenthal agrees that it helps to “give them stuff to do to keep them busy,” and advises, “Try to stay as calm as possible if they are misbehaving.”