Being the youngest of your siblings, like I am to my sister and brother, in several instances, we get compared to our siblings. We all had that teacher who said, “Oh, you’re ___’s brother/sister”, and automatically you were deemed with either positive or negative expectations based on your sibling’s behavior and academic ability. But besides the expectations and your mom crying way more at your high school graduation than your siblings, being the youngest child does have its perks.

1. Your siblings have been there and done that.

Chances are your siblings have already made the same mistakes you are about to make and have gotten in trouble for it. So when your parents find out about what you did they won’t be as surprised, they won’t yell at you as much, and possibly your punishment may not be as bad. So aren’t you glad your brother and sister did it first?

2. You automatically had one friend when you entered elementary/middle/high school.

Your brother may have said, “Don’t talk to me, don’t wave to me, and don’t even look at me,” as you entered into middle school and he was already there, but you knew for sure that if you were to get picked on, he would have your back.

3. You were ahead on the high school gossip even though you were still in middle school.

Who needs TV when you can just listen in to your sister and her friends talk about who was dating who, what teachers gave the most homework, and who got a detention in math class. These conversations prepared you on what to expect when you entered high school and how to get the football star, Matt, to notice you.

4. You had a personal chauffeur (most of the time).

Having your brother or sister drive you and your friends around was way cooler than Mom and Dad driving you in their minivan. They were willing to pick you up later at night and not to mention they always played the best music.

5. Some of the hand-me-downs were actually pretty good.

Yes, the clothes may not have been your taste, but remember when your brother gave you his old TV and you didn’t have to buy your own? Or when your sister let you use her CDs to download good music onto your iPod or let you borrow her hit clips? These are the things we would have to get and spend money on if we didn’t have our older siblings.

6. You always had someone to complain to about life.

Your siblings understand all the annoying things Mom and Dad do. They get that Mom and Dad want to ask a million questions about the new person you are talking to. They know the struggle you faced in chemistry and the reasons why you wanted to drop out of gym class. They experienced similar moments in their lives and know how you feel. Which leads us to my last point;

7. You have a great role model and friend.

Or in my case I have two. Your siblings offer great advice and are always there for you when you need it. You strive to be like them when you saw their strengths in hockey and dance, and watched them succeed in business and technology. Most importantly, they are always willing to get food with you.

Thank you for being the best siblings I could’ve asked for.