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Siblings- Learning the Art of Trade

By Rucha Bindu in Experiences
Updated 17:51 IST Apr 24, 2018

Views » 682 | 3 min read

What is it like to have a younger sibling?

I feel younger siblings were created to take you seriously when you're joking and to joke when you're serious. They were created to irritate every nerve in your body, and to bring you water in bed while you trade something for the future (which you never intend to give.) They were created to lose your favorite little things, and to make you sign that remark in their diary in place of your parents, which they obviously wouldn't approve of. But also to keep your secrets which your parents wouldn't approve of (and you, being the elder one, try to act cool like they already know so that your sibling wouldn't use that as a trade.)

My younger sister asks me to decide what I'll be gifting her for her birthday exactly six months prior to it- by the way, my birthday falls in that six months period but who cares, right? But, I don't need to ask. It's already there, the gift that I've always wanted, near my birthday cake, and a shabbily done last minute birthday card with a drawing of one girl wearing a party hat and cutting a cake with dripping cream, with a few friends around, wearing the same hat- I give her a hug for that one and silently whisper, "Grow up, ass!" in her ear (Also, I don't remind her about the gift six months prior, maybe just six days.)

I remember using the Indian Parenting Technique (IPT) on her and using short forms of words that she wasn't supposed to know at a particular age, while talking to my friends. But, she would always embarass me in front of them by correcting the word. They definitely do grow up faster than you think! Gradually, I didn't need to use the IPT on her. She used it on me in front of her friends, and I couldn't even figure out the real word. A difference of seven years between our ages- quite a generation gap? But, the IPT was a good way of knowing that I can finally share things with her now and I could finally make harmless little jokes on my parents without a shocked chubby kid saying, "Haww?!! How can you say that?!" She is now better with the jokes too, by the way. 

So, these little monsters never miss a chance to say things like, "When you leave, I'll have the entire room and wardrobe to myself." or, "You slept on my side of the bed and now it stinks." But, they will also be the ones calling you more than your parents when you are out of town for a longer time just to ask you what you've been doing/watching/eating/dating. And for sure, we miss them the moment we need last minute company for random plans. Or just when you need to talk a lot of things that don't have to make sense.

If not for her, I wonder who I'd discuss my daily diet plans with, and order pizza with, on the same day. I wonder who would actually seek my advice no matter how inexperienced I am in that field. I wonder how we, humans, would learn the art of trade if it weren't for growing up with siblings!

 

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Saylee Kalekar 24-Apr-2018 18:56

Very nice Rucha! Would love to read more and more.

Rucha Bindu 24-Apr-2018 19:09

Thank you so much @Saylee Kalekar! :)

Kalamwali 25-Apr-2018 07:52

Lovely!!

Rucha Bindu 25-Apr-2018 10:35

Thanks a lot! @Kalamwali

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