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30 Things Your Brother Teaches You About Dealing With Guys

Growing up, we knew a lot about guys before we ever dated any of them. Because we have brothers, we were already living with boys since, like, forever.

  1. Guys will never pick up after themselves if you pick up after them.
  2. If you start tearing up in front of your brother, he might not know how to react.
  3. But just because a guy reacts that way doesn’t mean he doesn’t care. He just doesn’t want to make it worse by saying something stupid.
  4. But crying like a bitch isn’t going to get anyone’s respect. There are real ways to solve problems. You suck it up because you have to hold your own.
  5. It’s a myth that men are less emotional than women.
  6. You know this if you’ve ever interrupted your brother while he’s playing a video game.
  7. Never interrupt a guy when he’s playing a video game…
  8. …Even if it’s to complain that it’s your turn. Or to complain that there are 5 male characters to choose from and only one girl option. 
  9. But really, guys get totally moody.
  10. At the same time, they often feel like they show any sign of weakness.
  11. So they might express their emotions a little differently.
  12. Or not at all.
  13. That’s why men show love differently.
  14. Boys can be really cruel jokers…
  15. But it doesn’t mean they’re cruel.
  16. Or that they hate you.
  17. They’re actually bonding with you.
  18. Every spitball…
  19. …every ice cube down your back…
  20. …every time they said there’s a spider on your head just to make you jump…
  21. …that’s love.
  22. They just don’t always like to say it out loud.
  23. Farting in your presence is a compliment, not an offensive gesture.
  24. Crude jokes should never be off limits just because “there’s a girl in the room.??? They’re hilarious.
  25. Sometimes boys lie to you (like when my brother didn’t tell me he crashed my car).
  26. Because guys can be afraid of how you’ll react.
  27. And so you learn that you don’t always have to blurt out your feelings or act angry.
  28. Sometimes it’s better to keep your emotions in check so you don’t scare a guy off.
  29. But ultimately, all the annoying stuff they do just gives you thicker skin.
  30. And you also learn it’s better to be competitive than just let a guy win. They’ll respect you more for it in the end.