It is no joke when research shows that the eldest sibling usually turns out to strive for perfection, is protective, and is (more likely than not) ready to take on adulthood sooner than the younger siblings that follow.
Being the eldest from my mother, and yet having older step-brothers that I once lived with in my childhood, I understand both roles nearly perfectly.
Let me just jump on and say that not in every case does the eldest experience this -- it very well may be that the younger one tends to be more responsible and cautious with every day life. But in my case, it is the opposite and most research shows that I am part of the majority statistic.
Those of you who are an older sibling or even the eldest, can understand that you have probably learned to "adult" more quickly than you ever desired, as if "adulting" was a verb you ever wanted to be a part of.
1. You Probably Hate Disappointing Your Parents/Elders - Those flashbacks of spankings with the infamous wooden spoon (was that just me?), belt, or even... the dreaded sandal where there was no time for negotiation when your mother ripped it off her foot to give you a quick yet unforgettable punishment. This has taught you to keep your manners in check with everyone and anyone, and has been the reminder that you absolutely hate getting in trouble with any kind of authority. Don't worry, though, this will eventually make you successful in school as well as the workplace.
2. You Have Learned to Check Twice or More - Just like Santa Claus, you have learned that checking twice does some good. If you ever lost something but only checked one time, the reply was usually "if I come in there and find it myself..." and this caused a slight panic within your chest area, for fear of the unfinished sentence itself, making you race back to where you started. Again, this will come in handy when you start to adult hardcore, become forgetful, and lose your keys even though they are still in your hand or purse.
3. You Were a Professional Before Uber - Ah, yes, since being the eldest meant that you could drive first (and your parents no longer had to) you were almost nearly always "volunteered" to drive your siblings to every sports gathering, dentist appointment, and to stop and get groceries on your way home from school (don't worry, she will pay you back later). Congratulations, you're even closer to adulthood because you've figured out that playing taxi driver is actually a significant amount of parenthood and you start realizing why your parents had a painful look on their face every time you asked them to take you somewhere before you had your own mode of transportation.
4. You Realize Why You Were Fed Frozen Dinners - For all those years you laughed at your mom's excuse of "I can't cook" you have now come to realize that it's not the case at all. It is for the pure fact that cooking takes a lot of effort and time, and now that you have been asked to cook for your siblings, you want nothing more than those Totino's Pizza Rolls to come back so they can be easily popped in the microwave. But never fear, you've gained great insight on what it will be like to be a real parent, trying to come up with creative dinners for the whole fam.
5. It's No Longer "Babysitting" - That term usually required payment at the end of the night, but now your parents want a night out, and you're the most reliable one to call and your sibling is no longer a 'baby' even though they sometimes sure do act like it. Again, though, this has made you realize how lucky your younger sibling has it but how blessed they are to have you as their older brother/sister; and how you actually love being around others' children... (mostly because you can give them back).
6. Only YOU can Pick on Your Siblings - Anyone else is just a no-no. At this point you are ready to put on your overprotective pants and put someone else in a choke-hold. When you say they smell weird, make fun of how they dance, or decide to have a wrestling match in the living room floor, that's okay. Anyone else who is not related is just asking for your older sibling powers to kick in.. and it won't be pretty. You're there for them forever and they know it.
Even though these are just a few of the things you have learned as the eldest sibling, and you still are not quite an expert at this whole "adulting" thing, you have come to realize how much of a rewarding job it is. You still need help on filling out your taxes, negotiating with student aid, and overall deciding what to do with your future, but you've got this - being the older sibling has given you some forecast on how to do it. Us older siblings need to watch out for each other. And to you younger ones out there... you're welcome.
And if you happen to be twins... well, have fun with the age-old argument of who came first!
