My sister and I are four years apart, and it’s fantastic. My mom says that the only reason it’s four years is because that’s how long it took my dad to convince her that she could handle another child like my sister.

The age gap was perfect for us, though.

She and I rarely attended the same school at the same time, so there was never a competition for friends (which I know happens for some kids) or the constant comparisons to one another. We were both freshmen at the same time (she in college, me in high school) so we bonded over those life changes. I feel like it brought us closer together.

She was old enough to babysit me and take care of me, but young enough that we had a fair amount in common.

We spent, and still spend, a lot of time together. I text her daily and visit her as often as I can.

I can’t tell you that four years is necessarily ideal for everyone, but it has been great for us.