I have two brothers, one older and one younger
Older one is by 3 years. We've always got on pretty well, I think, although I suspect he probably found me quite annoying. I would hang around with him and his friends and sleep on his bedroom floor from time to time, but he's always been very patient with me.

Apparently, when I was very small, I would sit in the middle of his Brio track (small basic wooden railway, for anyone who doesn't know) and disassemble it. I think I was trying to help him, but he complained vociferously to our mum. We don't see each other half as much as we should, ever since he went to university, even though he now lives not that far from me.

My younger brother is younger than me by 7 years. I did not like the idea of a younger sibling one bit, as I enjoyed the attention far too much, so I was pretty cruel to him - fortunately I'm far too meek a person generally to have done anything too bad. We fought a fair bit, but he packed a pretty good punch for a little 'un so I'd often come off worse.

I did read to him and play with him a lot, so I'd like to think my intentions have always been mostly good. We get on much better since I moved out last year (I'm now 21 and he's 14) - mostly, I think, as he's now the only one left with my parents and he misses a younger presence in the house. We do still see each other a lot as I stop in there after work a few times a week.

I do, however, feel incredibly guilty that when learning to speak, he referred to his penis as his "ow", on account of the amount I used to punch/kick him in that area. I think I must've just figured out that's the best way to really hurt a boy - I now think I understand much better just how much that hurts and I feel terrible thinking about it. If he turns out to be infertile I will blame myself to the grave.
( useful_idiot, Fri 26 Dec 2008, 20:45, Reply)