Are Sibling Relationships Protective by Jenkins - Research Paper Example

Researchers confirm the protective effect of positive relationships between children and their siblings as a result of their longitudinal study. The results of the research show that the support of older family members positively influences children and moderates their daily stress. Even though relationships between mothers and their children serve as a relevant source of support and protection even if they are not of the best quality, parents are not the only people who support children and help them deal with difficult life situations. Relationships between siblings and children are extremely important in early childhood because children cannot take care of themselves and their parents ask siblings to help them by staying with the child for a short period of time. In middle childhood siblings mediate conflicts in family relationships and become the source of protection for children. Gass, Jenkins and Dunn say that relationships between children and siblings become even more protective when there is a conflict in the marriage or when parents make a decision to divorce. Read More