Brothers. The only people on this planet who can torment you to no end, make you gag from their stench, and pull your hair, yet somehow still remain lovable. Being an older sister to brothers is a full time job. Here are 10 things that every big sister of brothers knows to be true:

1. Hygiene isn’t a thing for them

Let’s face it. Boys stink. Showering is not one of their top priorities. Forget about them putting down the toilet seat. And sharing is definitely caring for them. Over Christmas break, I caught my youngest brother using my toothbrush. He failed to see what was wrong with that.

2. You have to be the second mom

The first sentence my baby brother defiantly proclaimed was, “You not da mommy!” But come on, brothers are pretty much helpless beings and they need a big sister to boss them around!

3. Constantly being forced to prove that girls can do anything boys can do

I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve had to kick a soccer ball in a dress, shoot a bb gun, or win a game of “PIG” just to prove that girls ARE equal to boys.

4. Enter your brothers’ bedrooms at your own risk

My brothers’ bedrooms look like somebody detonated a cluster bomb of clothes, blankets, and mystery items. If the sheer stench doesn’t make you pass out, beware of what you may find. Last month, I discovered 11 cups, 3 spoons, and my missing sweatshirt in one of their bedrooms.

5. You live in a constant state of feast and famine

Brothers devour food like they’re starving and it’s the last meal they’ll ever eat. Being an older sister means never, EVER getting the last cookie or eating last night's leftovers.

6. The teasing is merciless

I firmly believe that pushing my buttons is my brothers’ favorite past time. While they couldn’t tell you where their other shoe is, they both could easily rattle off my pet peeves and how to use them to torture me. Nothing is funnier for them than to see their college-aged sister have to yell at mom to get them to stop.

7. You are the toughest sibling

Ask my brothers the last time I cried. They won’t be able to tell you. Brothers make you tough. You can’t be a crybaby when you constantly have to prove yourself.

8. You're in awe of what your brothers manage to get away with

Somehow, my brothers manage to get away with murder and it gets chalked up to “boys being boys.” Or “they just don’t mature like girls do.” My youngest brother used to wink at me when he was hugging my mom to get out of trouble. It’s truly amazing.

9.They're a walking tornado and you're the cleanup crew

If there’s a day that my brother remembers where his school uniform is, finds all of his books, and brings his lunch to school, Hell must have frozen over. Brothers are a mess and, as the older sister, you are the one that has to help them keep it all together.

10. Despite all of it, you still love them to death

Yes, they’re stinky, annoying, and a mess, but what would I do without them? Even though soon they will physically dwarf me, I will always be their bossy, big sister and they will always be my annoying, little brothers. And I wouldn't have it any other way.