Mom Shares Her Heartbreak, Explains Why People Shouldn't Call Her Daughters Half-Sisters

Rachel Sobel, a mother of two upset with the treatment of her daughters, explained why no one should qualify her children’s relationship.

Previously divorced, Rachel has a daughter from her first marriage. After she remarried, she had another daughter, eight years after the birth of her firstborn.

Initially concerned about the age gap, her fears soon got put to rest as the “older one is the protector and the little one is her shadow.”

Siblings who don’t share both parents also have two families instead of one, while there are potential pros and cons to having an extra big family, it's a family and should be treated no different than any other.

Just like other siblings they bicker, play, and show affection like sisters, they are close and not half of anything as having different fathers have no bearing on their bond. “They took to the role of sisters so naturally and lovingly, so why can't everyone else be accepting and follow suit?” she wrote.

While the two siblings are technically half-sisters, people tend to point it out and would remind the older sister that the baby is her half-sister. To Rachel that couldn’t be more of a misrepresentation of their bond as she wrote:

“Every time the words "half-sister" roll off someone's tongue as casually as if they're placing their morning coffee order, my older daughter gets upset. She asks me why people keep saying that and what it means for them, and she looks for cues on how she's supposed to feel about her sister. It's upsetting, infuriating, and frankly, mean.”

The mum of two works hard at facilitating a loving home and doesn’t appreciate others belittling their circumstances or undermining what she is trying to build on. Pointing out that they are a regular family just like others, she implores others to think twice before commenting on the dynamic of others.

From the perspective of “half-siblings,” the situation looks very different. Even though there might be a considerable age gap or notable difference in appearance or even race, to them they are still sisters.

The term causes separation and confusion not to mention the annoyance of having to explain your family structure followed by, “Oh, so you’re only half-sisters.”

Being asked what parent they share is a redundant question they prefer to avoid, after all, they are family and also siblings, why feel the need to lessen that relationship and bond?

Siblings who don’t share both parents also have two families instead of one, while there are potential pros and cons to having an extra big family, it's a family and should be treated no different than any other.

Consequences of such a differentiation showed clearly in a teen who wrote an emotional letter to her brother after she found out he was her “half brother” and showed from her perspective just how damaging that label can be.