There is no doubt that amongst siblings there tends to be a fight over who has the best seat in the line of descendance. The younger will argue that the eldest lives the high-life, but in reality you are paving the way for them. Here are 9 reasons why being the oldest sibling sucks:
1. You're held responsible.
After your younger sibling's birth, you were deemed the babysitter without pay. It was your job to care for your younger sibling: entertain them, teach them, watch over them, protect them, and even feed them! You learned a large amount of responsibility from being given this great chore, and you still carry it today.
2. You get the brunt of the punishment.
It doesn't matter who started the argument, you were the one that got blamed for it. You were expected to be the most mature and not engage in the fights spurred by your younger sibling. But how could you resist when they were so irritating? Either way, you were the one to take the fall.
3. You aren't the baby.
Unfortunately with the birth of a younger brother or sister, you lost the coveted position of being the baby in the family. No more special treatment and getting spoiled -- that's for the new baby now.
4. You have less freedom.
Because you were born first, you're unfortunately subjected to the strictest level of parenting. Your parents were newbies when it came to raising a child, so they were more protective over you and less lenient over what you were allowed to do. Invited to a sleepover? It would have to be at your house.
5. You "break in" the parents.
After hounding your parents to do all the things they wouldn't let you, there was no way they were going to survive another child continually pestering them. They inevitably gave up on trying to withhold the same rules and standards on the younger sibling. So you're welcome, lil' one.
6. You're held to higher expectations.
As the oldest of the brood, you're also held to the highest expectations. It's expected that your younger sibling will make mistakes, but you better not!
7. You're always looked up to.
Whether you are succeeding or failing, there is always someone looking upon your actions and decisions. This can be a good thing, but also a bad thing. That "F" you got on that Chemistry exam? You'll never be able to live up to that and you're sibling will make sure to get an "A."
8. Every experience is new.
You had no one to base your experiences on! Your younger sibling has the ability to watch you as you reach new milestones in your life, but you have no one to watch for yourself. Every new marker in your life is as unknown as the last, which can be traumatizing. The youngest is lucky to have someone to live these experiences vicariously through.
9. You are expected to give the best advice.
Because you have already experienced what your younger sibling is to encounter, it is expected that you will have the best advice and preparation to pass on. Whether it be about crushes, school work, or how to irritate your parents, you always have the best tips to share. After all, you only want to see your little protege succeed!
