“The RoseBouquet”

Being born as the oldest or older sister in a family seems to have a strong impact on our personality and character. Older sisters are often put in charge of young siblings, from an early age. They learn to be in charge, to be the responsible one. The younger brothers and sisters may chafe at us and call us bossy. - Yes, I AM an oldest sister too. But someone has to be the sensible one, who keeps our world from tipping over, right?

Just what ARE our responsibliities as an older sister? How much of what we do and feel for our siblings, and others. when we are in charge of a program, is ordained of God, and how much is extra duties we’ve taken on ourself?

We may appear to be in control, but we have feelings too. Maybe you ask deeply emotional questions like these; Do I really need to hurt so much when I see one brother in emotional pain and the others ignoring him? Why does that darling baby sister, now grown up, want nothing to do with me? I cannot take off my feelings like an ugly, stretched out of shape sweater, and put it in a bag for the recyclers, can I? Is it really up to me to be the glue that holds the family together?

If you are an older sister, you will have noticed that you have taken on more and more care-giving roles the rest of your life. Did you perhaps even choose that kind of job without realizing it? Did you marry someone who needed to be looked after? Your younger siblings may have got away with never growing up, while you feel like you skipped your childhood years and matured into a responsible adult before you were a teen.

Is this good or bad?

Taking care of weaker, helpless people is godly and good. We have to be careful that our mixed emotions and the charges others throw at us does not negate or undo the good we have done. If your parent(s) were sick or dysfunctional, you may have been the one who kept the family together, and surviving to adulthood. That is VERY GOOD. God wants to bless you for it!

On the other hand,….

To read the rest of this article go to Older Sister’s Coping Secret