A working definition of siblings is, people you're stuck with. Forever. The more you grow up, the more conflicts arise. Your sister can't seem to stop criticising your career choices, and you can't see eye-to-eye with her on anything.

Yes, navigating a sibling relationship can be tricky. Yet, in spite of the petty disagreements, you're always going to count on your sibling. No matter how exasperated you feel sometimes, admit it – you're quite fond of them. Just like any relationship, the one with your sibling must be built on mutual understanding and easy communication.

Easier said than done, right? Find out for yourself.

Pick your battles

Avoid the triggers that you know often lead to arguments. If your younger sibling has O levels coming up, but spends too many hours on Tumblr, don't nag her to study harder (Let's face it, we've all been there). Instead, take her mind off of the pressure of exams by suggesting a movie day. At the end of it, offer to help her study. If confrontations do arise, don't launch a defensive attack immediately. Approach the situation as a problem that needs to be understood from a perspective different than your own.

Find the root of the hatred

Sometimes, hostility among siblings persists, irrespective of prior arguments. If you want to resolve it, try to figure out the root cause of the hatred. If the resentment results from your constant absence due to a hectic work schedule, spend some time with your sibling every other weekend. As someone who's fought with her sister countless times, I can vouch for the fact that talking it out always helps. Post-confrontation, apologise for your role in it, even if you weren't in the wrong. While this might hurt your pride, these small sacrifices will strengthen your relationship in the long run.

Agree to disagree

Accept the fact that you're each an individual in your own right; you won't agree with everything your sibling does, and vice versa. Hence, train yourself to let go of the smaller issues. If your sister has an annoying habit of messing up your closet (don't they all? *sigh*), clean up after her, particularly if raising the issue creates conflicts. When disputes arise, don't feed into familiar arguing patterns that have the tendency to escalate. If your brother's listening to EDM on full blast, and it's hurting your exam preparation, avoid the urge to hurl insults and curse words his way. Instead of yelling, explain to him that the noise is disrupting your concentration - it's more likely to yield results.

Late last night, my sister barged into my room in an absolute panic. We had watched The Shining hours earlier, and she was too afraid to fall asleep. After mumbling in an awkward fashion for a few minutes (as is characteristic of her when she's shy), she blurted out that she'd like to sleep in my room for the night.

Hey, if nothing else works, you can always rely on the universal fear of the paranormal to draw even the most rivalrous siblings closer.

Mithi Chowdhury is a dog-loving-movie-watching-mediocrity-fearing normal person.

Either that or a penguin. Find out at mithichy612@gmail. com