Sisters protect young teens “from feeling lonely, unloved, guilty, self-conscious and fearful,” according to a recent study in the Journal of Family Psychology.
The research, conducted in 2007 and 2008 with approximately 400 Seattle families with two or more children ages 10-14, researchers at Brigham Young University found that affectionate siblings have positive influences on each other, including encouraging one another to make good choices.
“Siblings matter even more than parents do in terms of promoting being kind to others and being generous,” says Laura Padilla-Walker, assistant professor in BYU’s School of Family Life.
As Catechism 2207 notes, “The family is the community in which, from childhood, one can learn moral values, begin to honor God, and make good use of freedom.”