Being a Little Sister — advice for Big and Little Siblings taking part in the BBBS mentoring scheme!
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a programme that matches children with supportive adults to have fun and explore new interests. The scheme was set up in Summer 2017, but the scheme coordinators had already been long-term volunteers with Children’s Services at Oxfordshire County Council since 2013.
Today we publish this blog to celebrate 500 outings of the official BBBS scheme and the fifth anniversary of the first pair, who started in Autumn 2013. Names have been changed for confidentiality purposes.
My Experiences
My name is Charlotte and I first met my Big Sister when I had just turned 6 and now I am 11. My Big Sister’s name is Paula and she is from Spain. First meetings can be very nerve-racking so I’m going to give you some advice about this. When we first met, Paula came to my house and we sat and talked, just to get to know each other better. We got on well the moment we started talking to each other and we did some Halloween drawings together.
Paula and I have done so many amazing things together, including ice skating, going to the park and crafting when I was younger and swimming, reading and more crafting now that I am older.
The good thing about getting a younger Little Sibling is that you will have more time together until they become grumpy teenagers. Hopefully I will not become a grumpy teenager, but even if I do I will still spend time with Paula.
Because I have been doing this for a while I have been asked to give you a little information and advice on being a Big Sibling or Little Sibling.
Advice for Big Siblings
I probably cannot give the best advice for Big Siblings, as I am not one, but I will try my hardest.
One of the reasons that you should be a Big Sibling is that you have an excuse to do childish things. For example, my Big Sister used me as an excuse to go to Disneyland Paris. I am not asking you to take your Little Sibling to Disneyland Paris, but it is always great to have an excuse to do things you would usually not do on your own, like watch Disney movies or do fun craft activities.
Also, if you do not have a real sibling, then we can be great company as we can act very much like real siblings. Especially if you end up spending so much time together, just like my Big Sister and I.
Together you can develop new interests too. An example is that my Big Sister had never been to a play before she met me, and now she is a total theatre lover. This has given me a passion for the theatre too and one day I also hope to perform on the stage. Another example is I had never tried sushi before I met my Big Sister and now I am absolutely obsessed with it!
Advice for Little Siblings
It is very different being with a Big Sibling than being your parents, as parents are usually busy doing work. Your Big Sibling will have saved their time for you.
The great things about the Big Brothers Big Sisters scheme is that if you don’t have much to do on the weekends or after school it is great entertainment. When I am bored after school I just call Paula and she makes me laugh.
I would not expect to become best friends straight away, because it can be a little bit scary meeting your big sibling for the first time. Although I can tell you, it is definitely worth the teeniest fright for a wonderful mentor. A way to make it easier to decide what to do and to get to know each other is to both make a list of things you want to do together, and look at the activities you have in common.
Here is a picture of the two lists that Paula and I both made when I was six. We had so many things in common back then and we still do!
I hope this has helped all people new to Big Brothers Big Sisters and that you now feel confident, or even more confident in meeting your new sibling, whether you are Little or Big.
