ABSTRACT
Whilst many patterns of relating are laid down in early childhood, unfolding life events will also have a considerable impact on with our siblings are. As brothers and sisters advance into their adult lives their relationships with their siblings will inevitably change. Siblings can remain very close. Where there is a family business or property, siblings may be expected to share responsibility. Yet a lot of hurt and disappointment could be avoided through understanding the deeper roots of sibling strife. Bearing in mind how deeply sibling relationships are embedded in the family matrix, at such junctures these vital ties are deeply significant. Siblings who are close to their parents, who are relied on and trusted, may be resented; they in turn may feel burdened and unappreciated. Sibling influences become so much part of ourselves that they can be very difficult to discern.
