Grace Poston opens up about her older siblings moving away. 

Q: Tell me about life with your siblings before they moved away.

A: It was always very interesting. I felt like our house was never quiet. I’m a very quiet kid, but because my siblings grew up together (my siblings and I are nine [and] seven years apart) and they had that growing up I always felt like it was kind of them and that I was the little kid that forced themselves into it, and I loved it. My brother always treated me like you never see in the movies, that the sibling is the best person to you. You always see the sibling that kicks you out of their room, and isn’t nice to you and won’t spend time with you but I’ve never had that. I’ve always had, more like a best friend, as a sibling.  We’re not the closest, we don’t share a lot of things, but it’s more like there’s a bond, like a feeling between us that’s just inseparable. Just little things in my childhood. A birthday present my brother gave me, and ever since then every time I see a pig I’m reminded of him. It just completely alters your life when they leave, and I really wish it was like that again.

Q: Do you have any, I hate to say it like this, but regrets about being little, like do you think you didn’t appreciate them enough?

A: 100%. Later in my life, when I got a phone in sixth grade, I always sat in my room, I watched TV, and I didn’t spend time with them. I so regret that. Even now, when they come to visit, my phone is off. I’m not talking to anybody, I don’t hang out with my friends, because you’re so used to seeing them. You would do anything to be with them, and I just didn’t have that when I was younger. You’re so used to them being around, you don’t think that they’re gonna go but they leave, and it changes your whole mentality.

Q: What do you think people don’t realize about not having siblings at home?

A: I think people underestimate the loneliness. I mean, I can only speak for myself, but my parents both work and if you take away siblings, there’s just a lot of free time. You can’t, like if my brother or sister needed something I can’t help. You forget a lot. You kind of lose that connection.

Q: Did the expectations and the realities line up in any way, like how you thought it was gonna be?

A: I didn’t expect to see them a lot less. I expected us to drift, but I didn’t expect so many things to change. You know, you become a different person. I feel like they changed. Not necessarily in a bad way, but, you know, college makes you a completely different person and they come back, they’re like a complete adult. It’s like less of having an annoying sibling and more of having a friend, like a parent figure.

Q: What advice do you have for siblings, younger and older, like when they are still together, what do you think they should know?

A: Speaking as the younger sibling, spend time with them. Get off your phone. You may think not think going to a soccer game for them is not important, or hanging out with a friend instead of a family member, but the friend isn’t going anywhere, but your siblings will. Your siblings will go and you’ll miss having them around. 

by ALAINA ROBERTS