Well, for being made of frogs and snails and puppy-dogs’ tails, they sure do come in handy. In a study that underscores the value of family, researchers found that girls with big brothers go through puberty later and those with little brothers wait longer before having a sexual relationship.
It should be noted that the study did not examine the effects that protective fathers with shotguns had on the same variables. Maybe next time.
And while the explanations for why this is so seem far fetched, the impact of brothers seems logical to me.
The researchers try unconvincingly to explain this in terms of drains on the mother’s resources. I think that other explanations may better suffice. We are social creatures. Not social in some sort of abstract sociological way, but social in the way God created us. He created to be part of a family and being part of a family, especially a larger family, teaches you something about how to be a good person. How to share. How to wait. How to fight. How not to fight. How to care and how to love and I think this makes all the difference.
No, I can’t back up my explanations any better than these researchers can, but I suspect I am right. Children develop better in larger families and brothers, when not fighting with them, love their sisters and protect their sisters.**
**If my sister is reading this, please note that none of this applies to you. You never shared and still Mom always liked you best. And you smell.
August 19, 2010 at 2:03 pm
I kept rolling my eyes as I read this, thinking "Ugh! You don't know my brothers!" When I saw your comment at the end, I thought "Never mind, maybe you do know my brothers!" (Only in our case, Mom always loved the boys best – they could do no wrong according to her – those little twerps!)
August 19, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Maybe having a brother gives girls male companionship from someone close in age in a non-sexual way… so they don't feel forced to trade sex for male companionship?
Also, younger brothers pick up the extension when you're talking on the phone to the boy you have a crush on and make fart noises…..
August 19, 2010 at 5:04 pm
I believe that brothers and sisters help each other to learn how to love members of the opposite sex… and no not in some creepy sexual way… but because we are different. And if my brothers are reading this, you may not call me pea-brain in front of my son.
August 19, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Cecilia, I had the exact same reaction! (Probably cause we're pseudo twins!) Yep, never mess with a latin mamma and her sons!
At least 'The boy' is nicer to you then he is to me!!! He doesn't tell you that your eyes are brown because you're full of crap! Or try to stick his finger up YOUR nose! ARGGGG!!!! That punk! And this is the brother who's a SEMINARIAN!!! Yeah… he needs prayers. On second thought… I need the prayers!
Brothers definitely keep you young. Or should I say immature! We're in our 30's & late 20's and he still distracts me at mass and at many other events as though we're 8 yrs old. *shakes head* We have a love, hate relationship. We love to hate each other!
August 19, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Being Pat's sister here is what I really learned. That brothers can be loud, opinionated, bossy,and entirely too rough on their very petite little sister who Mom definitely liked more than her 4th son who incidentally had stinky feet as a teenager.
August 20, 2010 at 5:26 am
My son has, thus far, has been teaching his sisters how to tolerate boys. They will make great mothers because it takes all of us to keep up with him. He's only two.
I look forward to watching them all grow up together.
August 26, 2010 at 11:43 pm
As a young woman with an older and a younger brother, I would say that the reasoning could be twofold. One, I agree that having brothers teaches you that male companionship without a physical element. Also, as someone with "good" brothers, they somewhat teach you how you deserve to be treated by men.