Being seven and nine years younger than my brothers made my life slightly different than most of my friends. I was thrown into my teenage years while in elementary school and adulthood once I reached high school. My parents were far from helicopter parents, and I never knew what a curfew was nor were the things around me censored. Being the youngest has made me the person I am today, but being the “uh-oh” child has made life even better. Here are seven signs you had a childhood similar to mine.
1. You were watching PG-13 and Rated R movies at 5 years old.
Forget the Disney movies, you were stuck watching "American Pie" and "IT," the movie about the evil clown, which haunted your dreams and is the reason you’re still scared of clowns today. While people were telling you that their favorite movie was "The Little Mermaid," you were trying very hard not to say that your favorite movie was "There’s Something About Mary" because your mom told you not to tell everyone in kindergarten that.
2. Everyone you hang out with is at least five years older than you.
Somehow all of your friends are also/actually your siblings friends. You're always running into your brother or sister at different parties or events, and you're annoyed because you could've gone together if you had bothered to check in with one another.
3. You were an only child in high school.
By the time you hit high school, everyone is either in college or already graduated college. You spend your family dinners with just your parents and hope every night that your siblings will move back home so you have someone else to talk to.
4. You were always a third wheel when your siblings had significant others in high school.
Every Christmas card photo included your mom, dad, siblings, siblings' significant others, and last but not least, you, holding the dog in the corner all alone. Don’t forget the number of times you begged your mom to go with your sister and her boyfriend to the mall, and you sister complained the entire time about how you’re the biggest brat ever for ruining their date.
5. Your parents weren't as worried about you.
There wasn't as much concern placed on you when you entered the playground. You might have fallen off the swing set, but your mom or dad barely blinked an eye. They'd done this before and weren't ones to worry. That being said, you had a bruise on every body part, but it didn't matter. And when you got older it was less likely they watched you like a hawk because your parents had seen it all with your siblings.
6. You always have someone to turn to who has “been there, done that.”
There is always someone to turn to who has failed a test before, gotten a speeding ticket already, and even had a boyfriend or girlfriend. There is always someone to show you the ropes and pick you up when you fell.
7. You’re the family DD.
If your phone has ever started ringing at 2 a.m., there's a 99 percent chance it's your sibling asking for a ride because the line for the cabs is too long or they don't have enough money for a cab. At this point in time, all of the power is in your hands. You can leave your sibling stuck downtown, or you can pick them up, take them home, and probably charge a few bucks for gas money.
