The Sibling Effect: What the Bonds Among Brothers and Sisters Reveal About Us

i came across this book accidentally but have totally enjoyed the read. I am the youngest girl in a family of 10 sibs. The book is an engaging read and quite interesting. Mr. Kruger shared so much of hid heart through this book and helped me to gain perspective on my life and the importance of how I ended up where I am. I have onky one child and coming from such a large brood myself, i have always been a bit concerned that my son has no sibs. The book helped me to see my son in a different, more appreciative light. It has been easy for me to dismiss the value of my sib relationships because they have always been there. 6 brothers who protect...3 sisters who nurture. The book has helped me to value my sib relationships in ways i had not previously. I would recommend this book wholeheartedly!

well written, an easy read with some good insights on family life.

This book has sent chills down my spine... As a singleton, I always cried when my friends would have to leave my house to go home....... As an adult, I have a huge pool of friends of all cultures, ages, educational background, and political affinities; I also like to reach out and find old classmates and neighbor kids I used to play with... and then, I keep up with them... After reading this book, I finally understood the root of my need to build this network of friends... I also understood and am easier on my two children's daily conflicts... in fact, I now love to see my kids squabble over small things and watch them resolve their conflicts...or instruct them not to come to me to help them with resolving their conflicts but to rather work on a resolution themselves. After reading this book, I also understand a bit better why my husband's brother won't build that bridge to rebuild their sibling relationship... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK! BUY IT! READ IT! RECOMMEND IT AGAIN! It's a great book and a beautiful read.

Interesting book, but I found the author went into more detail about his own family life. Great if you are similar to him, but not so great if you're not. I would still recommend the book for anyone who wants to read it, but felt it could have been a bit more.

If you are looking for some good info about families and siblings (birth order) and feel there must be a reason for things happening in families beyond our control, this is the book that goes there to give you answers. It's an excellent read and one well worth the effort. It even covers other cultures as well as giving predictions on future events based on present day decisions by countries like China imposing the one child family mandate. It's loaded with amazing insights and explanations that give meaning and purpose to things you thought you knew about family relations. This is an impressive body of information all in one place.

I looked forward to insights based on the few bon mots heard on a CBC interview. Once into the book I was terribly disappointed at the generalizations that may have/could have been deduced from pop psych books. This is not a scholarly work. For the uninformed looking for sound bites it can serve one in good stead at a cocktail party. Not worth purchasing. Better to request it from the library and judge first if it is worth anything as a reference book.

I found this to be an excellent book - and not just because a short quote of mine is included! I love how it covers favoritism, divorce, birth order, growing up, rivalry, and all those other lovely facets of being part of a family. Although it sometimes made me think we should ALL be in therapy, the happy conclusion is that we all not just survive family life, but it defines us and nourishes us. A fun, insightful read.

Our siblings reveal quite a bitAbout earnings and talent and wit.The oldest? The middle? This book solves the riddleOf how we find out where we fit.#bookreviewsaslimericks

"For all that richness and complexity, however, there may be no relationships that can run quite as deep or survive quite as long as those among siblings. You know it if you grew up with one. You know it if you’re raising some. You know it if you’ve merely watched a group of them interact."Siblings are the most influential and yet most overlooked social relationship that any of us have. In many cases, they accompany us from the cradle to the grave. Yet, they are not often part of scientific accounts of psychological development, as any reader of a textbook on this topic may have noticed. The Sibling Effect aims to rectify this by delving into the research that has yet to make it into the textbooks. The book touches on topics such as birth order effect, sibling conflict, and the evolution of sibling relationships across the lifespan to answer questions like are first-borns born leaders, is it healthy that siblings quibble so much, and why do we lose touch with siblings when we leave the home but often reconnect later? The description of the scientific findings is interspersed with anecdotes from the author’s own life which was in part shaped by his biological and step-siblings. I had not considered many of the topics in this book before, even though my professional interest is in cognitive development. I found the book highly stimulating but sometimes wished that the distinction between anecdote and the scientific consensus was clearer. Of course, it would also be great to have an updated edition since this book was originally published more than a decade ago and science tends to evolve quickly. However, as a starting point or additional source of inspiration, it fully serves its purpose. I think this book is great for anyone interested in sibling relationships for any reason. I imagine it would also make a great present for any scientifically-minded sibling.

An interesting reading for me as a firts-born of two sisters and a mother of two kids. Helps me to reflect on my past and better understand my kids‘ current behaviour.

Though the book wasn't quite what I expected, it was still interesting. I guess I was expecting more on the scientific side as opposed to personal experiences.