I’m the oldest sibling in my family, six years older than my siblings, who are twins. Being the oldest sibling has a lot of advantages and can be pretty rewarding. Here are 10 signs that you’re definitely the oldest sibling in your family:
1. You always get the front seat.
You’ve earned it, and you get offended when one of your younger siblings tries to sit in it. (Seriously, what are you doing? That’s my seat. You can sit there when I don’t live here anymore.)
2. You have the bigger room.
You earned that, too, and you should never let go of it until the day you officially move to your new apartment/house.
3. You sometimes have to ask your siblings about new trends.
I had to ask my siblings about “dabbing” because I had no idea why everyone was doing it, and they explained it to me. (I still have very little understanding of why people do this so I refrain from doing it myself.)
4. You’ve played the “because I’m older” card.
When siblings ask why you get to do something they don’t, the response is simple: “because I’m older.” Or, if you’re like me, you can play the “I’m an adult” card; that’s a fun one, too.
5. You brag about knowing your parents first.
It might seem stupid, but you did know your parents first. I’ve jokingly bragged about knowing my parents longer than my siblings because I was an only child for six years. It’s not truly an accomplishment, but it means something to me that I had significant time with them before my siblings were born.
6. You were the babysitter.
You watched your siblings when your parents were out, or maybe you still do. I don’t do this as much now because my siblings are in high school, but I definitely did it when I was in high school.
7. You’re the driver when your parents are unavailable.
I drive my siblings to our camp bus stop every single day over the summer. I also drive them to Dunkin or Starbucks in the morning and then maybe to Panera in the afternoon. I’ve driven them to friends’ houses, home from school, home from friends’ houses, to the park, you name it. It’s just easier for my parents.
8. You owned “I’m the Big Sister/Brother” shirts when you were younger.
And you rocked it because you’re a star. Enough said.
9. Your siblings frequently ask you for advice.
They need to know what you would do because your parents were strictest on you and you turned out totally fine, so your opinion matters to them.
10. You act like a parent.
I don’t know if many oldest siblings feel this way, but I love when my siblings accomplish things. Sometimes I feel like a proud parent when my siblings accomplish something. I cannot explain it, but it definitely happens.
If you’re the oldest sibling in your family, I hope you related to these signs. If you didn’t, are you really doing this “oldest sibling” thing right? (Just kidding. You do you.)
