Think back to that first moment you found out you were going to be a big sister. All these months you thought your mom was just gaining weight, but little did you know that your future sisters or brothers were the reasons behind it. All those lonely nights spent with just your parents would soon be a memory. I was an only child for the entire first five years of my life. I would say a prayer every night before I went to bed asking to be blessed with a sibling. As a preschool student, you can get pretty jealous of all those classmates talking about going swimming or to the amusement park with their siblings. One of the happiest moments in anybody’s life is when they find out they are going to be a big sister. It’s about having the opportunity to share your life with those who you know are going to be by your side forever, no matter what.
Every second spent in that hospital waiting room anticipating the arrival of your little siblings was completely worth it. Almost too fragile to touch, their precious eyes barely open with hospital bands fit loosely around their wrists. The nurse wheels your mom out to the car, and everyone is so tired except for you. You are jumping up and down in excitement because you now have a pal, best friend, and partner for life. Personally, I was graced with the arrival of not one, but two siblings that morning. During their early baby years, you automatically assume the role of the “second mother,” and you love it. You report for duty every day making sure your little siblings are fed, bathed, played with, but you don’t mess with those diaper changes because that’s dad’s job. Everything your little sibling does is just overdramatically cute. Those moments when their entire little hand is only big enough to grab one of your fingers, or when they pulled your hair as a sign of affection. You create this indescribable connection without even having to try. I think it is something about the feeling that you don’t want to let them down that brings you so close.
Since you’re the big sister, you got to experience every little moment of your little sibling’s life. You were there for every single one of their “firsts”: the first bite, first word, and first steps. Something about being apart of their lives from these very first moments makes your bond irreplaceable. You got to see firsthand as they developed and changed physically, emotionally, and mentally day after day. As you grow older, your responsibilities as the big sister change a little. Instead of being the “second mother” you learn how to become their role model, but at the same time, their best friend. You are their go to person for anything. Whether that means making them a meal, wiping their tears, giving them driving lessons, quizzing them on geometry, or hating their ex-boyfriend or girlfriend even more than they do.
You have the heavy weight on your shoulders of going through life first with your siblings as your shadow. They might not admit it, but deep down you know they rely on you as you go through life. They will eventually pave their own way, but they need you to be there for their very first days to guide them in the right direction. You were always there to pick them up as they attempted to walk the first 100 times, and now they need you there to pick them up when they realize that life isn’t always as easy as you made it look. You’ll be surprised by how much they are going to help you too. Getting to be a big sister is one of the biggest privileges you could ever ask for, don’t ever forget this special role.
