Being the first born, which comes with bragging rights, has its ups and downs. There's an unspoken rule that the oldest child sets the path for the rest of the siblings, they desensitize Mom and Dad and make things easier for when they grow up - or so they think. When I was little I thought being the oldest was the biggest burden and wasn't something I enjoyed, but being the oldest of three has been one of the best things for me. I have learned so much that I would never change and those lessons I will carry with me forever.
1. Having a great deal of patience.
It takes a lot to wait 45 minutes for your younger sibling to get ready so you can so kindly drive them where they need to be or keeping it cool when they are having "one of those moods." I can now handle the worst of the worst kinds of personalities without getting frustrated because of the all the time I spent over the years tolerating my younger siblings.
2. Life isn't fair.
I never knew how important and how true this statement was until my younger siblings started to grow up. This lesson can be learned at a very young age when your little sister gets a toy at the toy store and you don't and you can't figure out any logical explanation and all mom says is "sometimes life isn't fair." Hearing these words while you're young gives you some insight as to how this becomes a more real of statement when you're older.
3. Family comes first.
You don't realize how protective you are until someone tries to mess with one of your younger siblings. You may get into a fight with your sister in the morning, but if someone is trash talking her by noon, you better believe I'm the first one there backing her up. Or how scary it is when one of them gets hurt and you wonder if they will be OK. The bond you share with your siblings is something that you should cherish and really shows how important they are to you.
4. Time management is important.
Once you get a little older and have a ton of things to do, that doesn't include paying attention to where your siblings are and if they're alive, you learn how get everything done in a timely manner. There may be some speeding to get from one place to the next or a few words shy of the minimum but hey, you managed.
5. How to work as a team.
Having younger siblings is the first experience you have when it comes to working as team, especially when it comes to hiding things from Mom and dad. They help you understand the importance of working with one another and valuing what they have to offer and how you can cooperate.
6. Resolving conflicts can be hard.
Let's be real, fighting with your younger siblings is bound to happen and sometimes you will want to kill them, but unfortunately there are laws that prohibit that. So we are forced to deal with our problems like rational humans - and yes, that means compromising. Learning it first through your siblings makes it that much easier when it comes to others.
7. How to be a leader.
You're the one they look up to when things get tough and they expect you to know what to do and how to handle the situation. They teach you how to have the confidence, even if it's minimal, to delegate tasks and the difference between leadership and just being bossy.
8. Importance of setting a (good) example.
As an older sibling, you are the only example your siblings have as to what they should and shouldn't do. When they are littler, they will copy everything you do, follow every move and repeat every word - so make sure they're good ones. And as you get older, they will still follow what you did since it worked out pretty well for you the first time. It makes you understand how you will always have a lasting influence on them and you should set examples that you wish someone had shown you.
9. How to give compliments and words of encouragement.
Giving genuine compliments takes a lot of time and practice that your siblings have successfully taught you to do. Encouraging your siblings to do better and to be better makes you one of their biggest supporters and in turn, you learned how to be able to compliment and encourage everyone else around you.
