Tips for Raising a Little Brother or Sister
When parents die or become unfit to raise their children, sometimes an older sibling will become the legal guardian of their younger siblings --- known as "kinship care." To be a successful sibling and parental figure at the same time, the older sibling must have certain capabilities and be ready for responsibility.
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Disclipline and Respect
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Raising a younger sibling can be difficult. Little brothers and sisters may not view their older siblings as authority figures. To assert your authority, you must have rules in place. Communicating with your younger sibling and explaining your rules clearly from the beginning is a good start. Check to ensure your younger sibling understands the rules, the reasons you have them in place and the consequences of breaking them. To set a good example, follow your rules.
Emotional Maturity
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Raising a child takes a certain amount of emotional maturity. To gain status as a legal guardian, you may have to prove your emotional maturity to the court or social workers. Evidence of emotional maturity may include a good job history, good grades when you were in school and a clean background check. If you are still in school, you may have to prove you can handle parenting and your education at the same time.
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Lifestyle
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To become the legal guardian of your younger sibling, you must be able to provide monetary support. This capacity requires either a steady job, a trust fund or savings, or government assistance plans. For the older sibling still in school, part-time jobs and assistance programs can assist in paying the bills. Having a clean, organized home is also important. Providing a healthy, safe environment for your younger siblings will fall on your shoulders.
Maintaining Sibling Friendships
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Staying close friends with your younger siblings when you're their authority figure can also prove difficult. Maintain friendship and closeness by maintaining open communication. Ask your your younger sibling questions to ensure she feels safe and trusts you will take care of her. Show you are still friends by continuing to take part in fun activities you enjoyed before you were the parental figure. When reprimanding your younger sibling for misbehavior, remind him you make mistakes too.
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References
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