Brothers and sisters. Relationships between siblings, sisters with sisters and brothers with brothers, children of the same parents living in the same family - what do we know about them? We don't choose brothers and sisters. We are born with them in the same family and live in close interaction for a long period of our lives. Are those who have a sister or brother happy, or is having such a relative not a source of joy and inspiration for someone? What do we remember about our sisters and brothers when we ourselves are already adults? How do relationships with them affect our childhood? Why are children of the same parents so different in character, actions, and relationships with others? Remembering our childhood, we, of course, remember various stories associated with our brothers and sisters. Often these memories are filled with interesting events, vivid pictures from childhood, adventures, tricks, pranks, but sometimes they are associated with bitterness, disappointment, grievances, memories of which are still alive to this day. In some families, brothers and sisters are friends even as adults, in others they do not communicate, living as if they had never been in their lives. Statistics show that a third of all court cases occur between brothers and sisters. Usually children want to have a brother or sister. Most often, children enjoy spending time with each other, playing games and doing common things, except in situations where there is an obvious conflict. Studying the issue of relationships between children in the same family, experts came to the conclusion that in families where there are 2 or more children, about 70% of children have conflicts. In all families, more attention is paid to younger children. Relationships between children in a family affect all family members. A family is a complex world of rules, relationships, hierarchy, roles. Within a family, there are several types of relationships: cooperation, competition, rivalry, antagonism. Reasons leading to conflicts between children: - jealousy - rivalry - attack on someone's property - oppression and injustice Parents play the decisive and most important role in shaping relationships between children. Mom, who do you love more? “Mom, who do you love more, me or Petya?” “I love you all equally” - this is often my mother’s answer. When there are two or more children in a family, they may certainly have this question, because children of the same parents are involuntarily forced to fight for the love of their parents. No one intends to share parental love. The question the child asks is not rhetorical at all. It is important for him to hear from his mother those words that will help him feel his value, his importance, his uniqueness, that he is really needed and important, that his mother loves him. Mother's love is not just words for a child. He needs confirmation of this love. And, if the mother talks to the children, tells them how dear each of them is to her, how beloved, unique, and the only one in the whole wide world he is, then this will probably calm the child down, give him a feeling of security and peace. Children also love to listen to stories about themselves: “Tell me how I was little.” And the mother will remember some sweet stories about the children, tell how she waited for and loved each of them even before birth. And he will tell every child how wonderful he is, and how glad he and his dad are that he is in their lives. Children listen with interest to their mother’s stories about themselves and about their brothers and sisters. Warm, emotional communication with mom, and maybe together with dad, will be remembered by them for many years, will warm them in moments of sadness, and will again fill their world with the bright colors of childhood and serene happiness. This is how a family story slowly takes shape, which adult children will then tell to their children. To be continued. Irina Akhramenko.March, 2021.