Having an older brother is like sweet but sour candy that you can’t get enough of. Even though he would sometimes make your eyes twitch and your lips pucker, you can’t seem to resist going to them and loving them. An older brother teases you beyond belief and may drive you crazy, but at the end of the day he's going to be one of your greatest protectors and will love you like no other (even if he doesn't like to admit it).

So as painful and emotionally scarring getting pinned down and farted on every once in while, having a big brother has been one of the best things in my life. He may have mentally or physically abused you here there, but no one has your back like your older brother. Without an older brother I would know little to nothing about sports or how to defend myself.

1. He showed you how to be tough, both mentally and physically.

Girls who have an older brother tend to make good fighters, literally and figuratively. From years of demeaning name calling, teasing, tripping, and pushing you down the stairs, you can handle a lot. You formed thick skin from all the jokes he threw at you. You learn to stand up for yourself and make your voice heard. You learn to not get pushed around by anyone. The wrestling matches you get into with your brother teach you to stay strong and never give up. He might be stronger than you, but you learn to become cunning. When I was younger, it sucked a lot at the time but now nothing hurts me anymore and I can easily stick up for myself. So now I look back on those years of torture and smile, realizing how much it taught me and helped me.

2. He will always be there to protect you no matter what.

A girl needs to be protected by her older brother. Like a lion to its cubs, men take on a very protective nature or role when it comes to the well-being of their little sisters. You don’t have to worry about any creepy men coming around with your older brother in the picture. Any boy you bring home will know to treat you right from just one little talk with your older brother. He will protect you from all the bad guys in the world and no one, absolutely no one, will ever get away with hurting you. You also have a designated driver (as long as he's not also drinking), and you always have someone to play drinking games with. An older brother can get a bad reputation for being overbearing and overprotective. While they can be these things, they’re usually your drinking buddy, partner in crime and best friend. In my opinion, the positives far outweigh the negatives in this situation.

3. You have a lot of older boys to look out for you because his close friends see you as a sister too.

In addition to your actual brother, you'll likely be able to grow up with a handful of these pseudo brothers who treat you like their own sister (without the sibling rivalry for the most part). If anyone ever hurt me they'd all know. Ex-boyfriends (and current boyfriends, for that matter) are sure to receive threatening looks and degrading nicknames. Sometimes, it'll be incredibly annoying and embarrassing. But more often than not, you'll be happy to have a band of brothers who care about you. His close friends view you as a little sister, mostly because you annoy them as much as you annoy your brother, but they are always quick to protect you when he's not around or needs the backup. Having one older brother is basically a guarantee that you'll have a whole flock of them.

4. He taught you proper chivalry.

Older brothers teach their little sisters exactly how they should be treated by a man. As a little sister, you notice the way he treats your mom and his girlfriend and that in turn creates the standard that you will hold all men who try to date you to. The way you let men treat you today is probably what you learned from your older brother. Even if you don't want to accept it, the guys you date will most likely be similar to your brother. You look up to him and want a guy to treat you the way you see him treat the women in his life.

5. You get to be his personal stylist.

You are probably responsible for any kind of style and class your older brother may have. It is no secret that most men don’t know how to dress themselves, so little sisters often take on the role of personal stylist to their older brothers. He will always come to you for fashion advice no matter what. Before he puts his clothes on, he'll call you in so you can decide which pants, watch, and shoes best go with the shirt he wants to wear. And most of the time you'd have to iron the shirt for him because you couldn't allow him to go out in public in a shirt that was in a ball on the floor for weeks.

6. You have a partner in crime for life.

When we were younger, my brother and I argued and fought all the time. There was one exception to our rivalry that put our fighting to rest: being up to no good. An older brother as your partner in crime is perfect for two reasons:

1.) You have a scapegoat in case you need to blame someone else. (As a younger sister, it was easy for my parents to believe I was influenced by my older brother. But usually, we were in it 50-50.)

2.) Shared responsibility also meant a shared consequence. You have someone to joke with while you carry out your sentence of chores.

It also meant you were equally responsible in the planning and the act of mischief. This partnership is likely to carry on as you grow up too. My brother and I would always help the other out when we were doing something we weren't supposed to. He'd always know of my wrong doing and I'd always know about his and we'd aid the other if our parents ever found out.

7. You gain a better understanding of boys and why they act the way they do.

Men and boys can be hard to deal with and for a girl, having an older brother can provide great insight to understanding them. From the time you start dating, an older brother can help you navigate through and pass a lot of the early misunderstandings you may experience at the start of the relationships. Having an older brother and his advice at hand can help you avoid a lot of relationship heartaches. Or, at least, get through them. Having an older brother also gives you an up close and personal look at the way boys think and act. An older brother will help you later with boys and will give you hope that the good ones are really out there. You luck out and get a front row seat to understanding them so don't let it go to waste.

8. You get to teach him about girls.

Men typically don't know much about girls. However your brother has the upper hand to learning just how to treat or talk a women. Whenever he is having girl problems, you know he will come to you for advice on how to handle the situation. He'll also likely ask your advice on what to buy for a girl or will run his surprises or ideas by you before he puts them into action. If they are sister approved then they are bound to be good. He has been there for you to learn about the opposite sex and you have been his source of learning too. An older brother learns to confide in his little sister.

9. You have someone to look up to and guide you.

From a young age, you will turn to your older brother who seems to have more knowledge and expertise about the world. He'll teach you about what's in and what's not. And he'll likely teach you things that your parents wouldn't approve of. He will teach you so much about the world and will probably help you see the world in a different light. You aspire to do some of the things he does and you strive to accomplish things the way he does. He may not know that you are secretly looking up to him and his actions, but a lot of the decisions you make and things you do are influenced by him.

10. He will always have your back, keep you in line, and love you forever.

No matter how old you get, an older brother will always have an undeniable soft spot for their baby sister. He will be a good listener or a comfortable shoulder to cry on when needed. Knowing that you can always count on him to listen without criticism or judgement is the glue that will always hold you together. Your bond will likely be unbreakable. He may do things to intentionally drive you crazy and make you extremely mad, but at the end of every day, you will be one of his favorite people and he will always be one of yours. He will always be there for you and do anything for you. He will always look out for you and he will always love his little sister no matter what.

Through all the beatings I took, all the mean nicknames, and all the jokes he pulled on me, I still love my older brother and owe him a lot. Older brothers are definitely hard to live with at times, but they really are the best. An older brother tends to love his little sister unconditionally and that definitely shows. I wouldn't trade my older brother for the world and I know I wouldn't be who I am today without him in my life.