by Meg Thompson

For those of you who are like me, the youngest sibling in your family, you know how tough it is to be under the scrutiny of two parents with nobody else to divert their attention. I am the youngest of five and all four of my siblings are either in college or working in other cities or continents. They currently reside in Chicago, IL, Washington D.C., Komga, South Africa and Lawrence, KS.

I, of all people, understand what missing your siblings feels like and having all eyes on you. Here are three strategies to stay sane under the microscope of your parents:

1. Get a pet.

My freshman year, my parents bought a puppy at the Rockhurst auction. She was an adorable chocolate lab named Rosie. For the first few months, Rosie kept all of us busy. She was hyper and naughty, but too adorable to stay mad at. Now Rosie is trained and a great companion. I would be much more lonely if it weren’t for her. Also, she is one more thing for my parents to take care of. There isn’t quite as much pressure being the only one home when there’s a puppy who has your parents preoccupied.

2. Encourage your parents to take on a new challenge in their lives.

If your parents have a project to exert all of their energy on, it gives them less time to focus on you. Don’t get me wrong, quality time with parents is a positive thing, but sometimes less is more. Some of those projects might include a home remodel, a charity event (like the STA auction) or a special trip.

3. Have dinner with friends at least once a week.

Family dinner is big at my house. When all four of my siblings were home, there was never a dull moment at dinner. But one by one, they all peeled away and did something productive with their lives. Now dinner consists of my parents asking me questions like “Is your room clean?”, “Who are you texting?”, “Do you have a date to Teresian?”, “Why isn’t your homework done?” etc. Around the fifth or sixth question I can feel myself getting more stressed out and agitated. So it’s important to give yourself a break from the overwhelming amount of questions every once in a while. Treat yourself to a dinner with friends.

As for keeping in touch with siblings, it can be quite the challenge, especially when one is waking up at the time we go to bed in the US. Here are three ways to stay connected.

1. Create a group chat with your siblings.

This is a great way for everyone to stay in the loop. Our modern technology allows us to communicate with someone across the country, so we might as well utilize it!

2. Watch the same TV series.

Being apart from siblings can be really lonely and tough. Not living together limits the amount of quality time you have to spend together. Watching the same TV series or reading the same book gives you something to bond over and that feeling of “quality sibling time”.

3. Schedule a time to talk on the phone or Facetime.

With busy schedules, the odds of both you and your sibling having some downtime and being able to chat at the same time is slim. If you schedule a time to talk, whether it’s daily, weekly or monthly, it keeps you and your sibling in check.