1. The guinea pig
You’re likely to have been the “trial-run” for your parents when it came to school, curfews, haircuts, dating, etc. Your siblings laugh when you tell them you weren’t allowed to watch Rugrats and you were in bed every night at 9.
2. Sounding like your mom
"Um, why isn’t he answering my texts? Did he drown? Are his friends drinking? Will he come home soon?" Suddenly you kind of get why your mom called every hour-even when you really were just watching scary movies with your friends.
3. Advice
Even if you’re only a few years older than your sibling, you usually experience a lot of what they’re going through. You can (somewhat) give them pointers and hope that you’re failures will help them make the right decision.
4. Getting more protective than you thought you’d be
You think you’re a pretty calm person. Until someone’s mean to your little sibling. All of a sudden you’re thinking up insults to fire back at a bully who is like, five years younger than you. It’s probably not healthy.
5. Being "in charge" when your parents go out
This was the one time you felt you were in power.
6. When they come to you with a problem
It’s kind of cute when your younger siblings come to you with a problem. You feel kind of old and wise-ish. Even if you have no idea what you’re talking about, you like pretending you do.
7. Telling them what not do
This is important. Looking back, you never really believed your mom when she said things like “You shouldn’t be friends with her,” or “Stop with the eyeliner, you look like a goth.” But now you're only a few years older so your sister will actually believe you.
8. Making sure your siblings are friends with good people
You understand why your parents were so concerned with who you were friends with.
9. Watching your little siblings grow up
You watch as your baby sister/brother actually become a really good person. You can’t believe how mature they’re getting and sometimes it freaks you out that the little sibling that used to tattletale on you is becoming an adult.
