The Best Activities To Bond With Your Adult Sibling And Avoid The Awkward
This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s summer intern
Olivia Charlson. Find her on Instagram at @olivialee2000. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Navigating an adult sibling relationship isn’t as easy as when we were kids. Back then, it was just play fighting and making up elaborate games in the pool. Now it’s family holidays and trying to figure out the inner workings of each other’s lives. There are a million different suggestions for how to hang out with our friends or partners. But I can’t imagine a scenario where I’ll find myself making a picnic for my brother. Here are some activities for sibling bonding — just for when you’ve both grown up.
Throwback movies
One of my favorite activities is the throwback movies that the theaters in my home state show. It’s five bucks a ticket and seeing oldies on the big screen can be a lot of fun. Being able to take your sibling to a movie you know is good or one you both watched growing up can be a good bonding activity even though you don’t have to talk.
Bowling
Bowling is just a classic. It’s a straightforward activity that doesn’t require a lot of thought. So you and your siblings can cheer over a strike and have that little bit of easy competition. It’s also helpful to have an activity to do so that when conversation lulls and things get awkward… you can just grab your bowling ball and take your turn.
Mini-golf
This is a good family activity that gets you out of your comfort zone and is something everyone can enjoy. If you’re lucky enough to have mini-golf places at your disposal, this can be a good non-awkward hang-out.
Video-games
You may notice this list so far has two things in common: nostalgia and competition. Maybe it would have been different if I grew up with a sister, but my little brother and I butt heads more than most. Pulling out our video games and playing Wii sports for an hour was a great way to spend a night back home. Playing games together is great bonding for adults and teenagers.
Taking another family member out
Sometimes the best way for you and your sibling to get together is to make it about a different family member. Taking your grandma who’s in town out for breakfast or your mom out for dinner is a good way for the two of you to see each other as well.
Show each other somewhere new
The fun part about your sibling visiting is getting to impress them with where you live. My brother got accepted into and goes to the same college I do (copycat) and being able to tell him the best hiking spots is fun.
Tell them you’re taking them out for lunch
Sometimes plans are just too hard. The back and forth can lead to not going out at all. Unlike with your friends you can be a bit more demanding with your sibling. If I had a nickel for every time my Zillennial teenager sibling who needs to be told he’s going somewhere, begrudgingly does so and has a good time I’d have… significantly more change than I had before.
Do you have any fun activities for sibling bonding when you hit adulthood? Leave a comment down below.