I've seen countless articles about all types of sibling relationships. However, one that I rarely see is that of the big sister-little brother relationship. As someone who has that relationship, I think that is a shame. So, instead of sitting around and scrolling through all the other articles, I thought it was time to enlighten the world to how awesome the big sister-little brother sibling dynamic is.
My brother and I are two years apart in age, so we've always been very close. Naturally, there were those few years that involved constant fighting and him blaming everything on me and somehow never getting in trouble while I took all the heat. To this day, I think he's only been in trouble about three times in his life. Me, well, let's not get into it. Unevenness in parenting aside, by the time I hit high school, it was smooth sailing. He and I became best friends, and have been ever since.
Having your little brother as your best friend is one of the greatest things that can happen. I could probably write a three thousand word article about how great it is, but in the spirit of my little brother (a man of few words), I thought I'd keep it short, sweet and to the point. So, without further ado, here are ten reasons why having a little brother is the best.
1. You've got a permanent partner-in-crime.
Whether said crime involves sneaking around your parents or is just something silly, you best believe your little brother is going to be raising some hell with you.
2. He doesn't sugarcoat anything.
No, seriously, he won't. Even if what he says hurts your feelings, he'll give it to you straight because he knows you both deserve and need to hear the truth.
3. Your mistakes weren't a waste; he got to learn firsthand from them.
At least for me, I had my fair share of slip ups growing up. But now, instead of looking back and being super embarrassed and/or ashamed, I can feel like they (possibly) were worth it, as my little brother got to learn what not to do.
4.) He always has your back.
Through thick and thin, your little brother will always have your back. It doesn't matter what happens (though if it's your fault/very stupid I'm sure he'll let you know), he's always going to be there.
5. You have someone you each can give and get advice from.
Not only do you get to give your sage life advice to him, but you can get some in return. For him, you may let him know how to handle your mom when she's in a bad mood, what it's like out in the real world (college) or maybe even just girl advice. For you, he could let you know what's actually still cool nowadays (you'd be surprised how out of the loop you get when you leave home), some help reacquainting to life back home and of course, some advice about boys. But not too much, he doesn't want to know details, trust me.
6. You always have someone in your corner supporting you.
Through all my different endeavors in life, from skating to theater to writing, my brother has always supported and cheered me on. But only if I was actually good at it; if I started to suck, he would let me know.
7. Despite being younger, he's still protective.
Don't get me wrong, I am UBER-protective of my little brother. However, just because he's younger, doesn't mean he's not protective of you, either. Quite the opposite, actually.
8. He'll help you get over exes in his own special way.
Brothers in general will want to help you move on and get over your ex, but a little brother has his own special spin. Since he knows he's younger and you're going to make decisions despite his advice, he'll just say it like it is (as he usually does). No seriously, when I went through a break up before college, my brother looked at me and said, "Honestly, Caitlin, who cares, you're in college now, you're going to be fine." Always blunt and to the point.
9. You can always be yourself with him.
This one is obvious. You two know each other like the back of your hands, so even if you did try to fake it, he'd call you out in a heartbeat.
10. You get to watch (and maybe even help) him grow into the most awesome person around.
This is my favorite reason. I've gotten to watch him grow up in every sense of the word. Right before my eyes, he went from a small boy who I could easily take down if he needed to be taught a lesson to a (still growing) man who I don't stand a chance in a fight with now. Not only that, I've watched him mature. I've seen him accomplish his goals. I've also seen him (very rarely) fall short. I've gotten a front-row seat to watch this amazing kid grow up. And maybe, just maybe, I got to help him along in the process. What more could you ask for in life?
Well, there you have it, 10 reasons why having a little brother is awesome. Not to be biased or anything, but I think this is the best sibling relationship around. I got pretty lucky that my little brother is great, too. He probably won't read this anyway, as he doesn't go on social media often and it's most likely still too wordy and emotional for his liking, but hey, at least it's out there.
