Older Brother Melts Hearts As He Sings To Younger Sibling

Jun 03, 2021 by apost team

For anyone lucky enough to have older siblings, it's likely they'll know what it feels like to have someone who has your back, especially when it comes to daunting new experiences at school. While siblings might not always get along, the connection between two children is often very sweet and pure. These relationships might change as we get older, but the connection between brothers and sisters is for life.

This is often especially true of older brothers and younger sisters — there's something about an older brother's protection of his baby sister that is incredibly heartwarming. This closeness was demonstrated in a heartwarming video that was released in February 2020.

When Charice Little saw her son, 9-year-old Colten, singing to his 2-year-old baby sister Clairadee, she was sure to capture it on camera and post it on Facebook. In the video, which has since gone viral, Colten is sitting on a bed holding his little sister. Bruno Mars' hit song "Count On Me" is playing in the background while Colten is singing along to the words, directing them at his baby sister.

Beyond the sweet picture of Colten singing to his sister while holding her in his arms, it is important to note that the song's lyrics exemplify just what it means to be an older sibling — that no matter what happens, Clairadee will be able to count on her older brother to always be there. It's no wonder Charice was so awestruck when she saw this moment that she felt compelled to capture it and share it with others.

The video is adorable, showing Colten cuddling his almost 2-year-old baby sister as he sings along to "Count on Me" by Bruno Mars, which plays in the background. The lyrics are sweet and fitting for the moment. He sings:

"If you tossin' and you're turnin' and you just can't fall asleep / I'll sing a song beside you. / And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me / Every day I will remind you. / We'll find out what we're made of / When we are called to help our friends in need. / You can count on me like one two three, I’ll be there. / And I know when I need it I can count on you like four three two. / You’ll be there ’cause that’s what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah."

Clairadee seems to also enjoy the song. She sits calmly as she is cradled in Colten's arms in the video.

One post that Charice shared to her Facebook shows the brother and sister embracing affectionately and smiling widely. It's a beautiful moment that Charice captioned:

"These two. There is no questioning the love they have for each other. Our first and last babies."  

Studies show that spending time with siblings increases empathy and has a positive influence on children as they grow. This is especially true when the age difference is large.

“...(S)iblings can have direct effects on one another’s development when they serve as social partners, role models, and foils and that siblings can influence one another indirectly by virtue of their impact on larger family dynamics—such as by serving as building blocks of the family structure, holding a favored family niche, or diluting family resources,” one prominent study reads.

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The Society for Research in Child Development notes that older siblings are important role models in their younger sibling's lives. Younger siblings that grow up with empathetic and loving older siblings learn to care for others.

By these standards, Colten is certainly a great big brother to Clairadee, and with seven years between them, Colten and Clairadee are a testament to these findings. Although they're at the very beginning of their lives, going off their strong connection already, we can only imagine that they'll be incredibly close as they grow up into adults. With a younger sister, Colten is likely to become the protective older brother who'll make sure nobody gives Clairadee a hard time.

After the video went viral, Charice expressed gratitude for being able to share this moment with so many people. On Facebook, she wrote, "Colten, you guys are over 4.5 million views now! How do you feel about all of this attention? Praying for some bonus points in music class!”

“But,” she added, “mainly I hope to keep people smiling for as long as I can. I want people to love more and hate less. Be there for everyone, always. You never know who could use a smile or a hug. Why not be that person to hand them out.”

The sweet moment between Colten and Clairadee was a beautiful one, and Charice could have just enjoyed it for herself, but instead, she wished to share that love with the world. Let this video be a reminder to everyone to appreciate one's siblings and family members the way Colten and Clairadee do.

What do you think of their bond? Do you know anyone who could use a smile? Show them this touching video. It is sure to cheer up anyone who sees it.