11 Ways Your Bond With Your Siblings Gets So Much Better As You Get Older

Growing up with siblings makes you into the person you'll one day become.

They’re your first friends, your first enemies and your first opponents for competition.

As a kid, there was a host of times you wished you were an only child, but in the end, your brothers and sisters are the greatest gifts your parents ever gave you.

They taught you how to deal with people, how to share and how to be a social butterfly. They taught you how to stop being afraid.

There is no one quite as real as a sibling. They'll never sugarcoat things for you, and they'll always give it to you straight.

You’ll never learn the value of tough love like you will from a brother or sister. They aren’t afraid to hurt your feelings; it's what they’re there for.

When you get older, even though they used to make you bonkers, they become your forever best friends.

No one will ever know you as well as they do; no one will remind you more frequently of all the terribly embarrassing things you did in the fourth grade or how far you’ve come since the braces and bad acne.

The sibling relationship may be a complicated one, riddled with mixed emotions, but it's certainly one of the most loving.

These are 11 ways your relationship with your siblings changes over time.

1. You used to play video games; now you’re playing texting games.

While you used to sit on the couch and play "Yoshi Story" for hours on end, you’re now in an ongoing battle to make the other one laugh the hardest with your ridiculous memes and selfies.

You still like to play games together, it’s just the 2015 version.

2. You used to tell your parents on your brother or sister; now they’re the best secret keepers.

You all used to tell your parents on each other to make yourself look like the "better child." When your sister snuck out, it was completely acceptable to tell your parents so they'd be distracted from the C- you got in precalculus.

When you were younger, it was okay to throw each other under the bus and blame it immaturity.

Now that you’re older, your siblings are your best secret keepers. You tell each other everything, and instead of worrying Mom and Dad will find out, you’re happy to know your siblings won’t judge you because they love you unconditionally.

3. You used to compete with each other; now you’re each other’s greatest supporters.

Growing up, it was totally normal to want to outdo each other; to want to be the best at everything. When you're younger, you’re used to being compared to your siblings. This kind of natural comparison can be stressful for a young person.

Now that you’re older and you’ve figured out your strengths, your dreams and your capabilities, you’ve become each other’s greatest means of support. You’re not playing against each other, you’re on the same team.

4. You used to get jealous of each other; now you appreciate each other for who you each are.

It was easy to be jealous of your brother or sister when you were a kid. Your sister was a better singer; you brother was a better debater, and all you had was being a bigger reader? You were constantly wishing you could have things they had. And, the same went for them.

Your sister may not have told you she was jealous of your bra size as a 13-year-old, but she was.

Now that you’re all grown up, you don’t get jealous; you just appreciate your siblings for their talents and are proud of them.

5. You used to pull each other’s hair; now you’re pooling your resources.

You fought like angry hyenas, frantically trying to get the best peace of warthogs. You couldn’t get away with rough-housing like that with friends.

With your siblings, the only people you had to answer to where Mom and Dad, not someone else’s parents.

Now that you’re older, you know aggression is better used elsewhere: world domination.

Where you once were mean and childish to each other, you’re now sharing a Rolodex and trying to better each other.

6. You used to think your siblings were from Mars; now you see yourself in all of them.

As a kid, it was easy to think, “How am I related to these people?!” But, when you’re older, you can see so much of yourself in your brothers and sisters.

You were cut from the same cloth, no matter how different you may be.

7. You used to be possessive; now you share everything.

When it came to sharing, you used to run by the “what’s mine is mine” rule.

But, now, you know and appreciate sharing is caring. Your siblings are family, and therefore, they're the only people who matter. Stuff is just stuff, but family is forever.

8. You used to accept you were stuck with them; now you know you'd never choose anyone else.

You can’t choose your family, this is true. No matter how crazy your brothers and sisters drove you growing up, you now can’t imagine life without them.

They may not be perfect, but they're definitely yours. They helped to make you the person you are today.

9. You used to freak out when your sister stole your clothes; now you’re stealing hers.

Your sister would treat your closet like it was her own personal boutique, helping herself to whatever she felt like for whatever occasion.

This used to drive you batsh*t insane. You’d spend hours looking for those high-waisted printed jeans only to find your little sister sitting at the dining room table rocking them.

Though you don't understand when she gained her own style or when she attained a better wardrobe than you, you're constantly helping yourself to her closet.

10. You used to want to be completely separated; now you’re proud to be grouped together.

You used to want to be your own person. You didn’t want to be associated with your siblings in any way that would affect your identity.

You didn’t want to be labeled “John’s little sister” or “Clyde’s older brother.” You wanted to be Y-O-U.

But, now, you’re happy to be seen as a group. You’re the most kickass group there is, after all.

11. Your siblings used to be your mortal enemies; now they’re your best friends.

Is there any rivalry more polarizing than a sibling rivalry? They were your greatest competition and the biggest rats you knew.

You made each other crazy, suspicious and tough as nails. As adults, you aren’t enemies, you aren’t out to get each other while constantly trying to save your own skin.

These days, they’re your best friends.

Having siblings means having best friends from cradle to grave. For all the hard times, the good times are beyond worth it.