I had the great pleasure of being blessed (or cursed) with the spot of the youngest child in my family. I was also the only girl of four, so that made it even more interesting. Here are eight facts about growing up as the youngest and with only older brothers:
1. Competitiveness is instilled from day one.
I have been a competitive person for as long as I can remember. And my earliest and longest competitors were my older brothers. I didn't want to be left out so I constantly tried to keep up with them.
2. My siblings were role models.
Being the youngest gave me three other lives to watch and take note of as I grew up. I was able to see how they handled different situations and learn through their victories and downfalls. This prevented me from having to go through many hardships on my own.
3. Three older brothers = lots of protectors.
Not only did I have biological older brothers, but I had a lot of my brothers' friends that would act as protectors. I knew they always had my back and I was safe if I was with them. If I was uncomfortable in a situation or with a another person, they would help resolve it—any or all of them.
4. I learned from my siblings' behavior.
As the youngest, I was constantly watching my older siblings and would thereby pick up some of their habits and hobbies. I remember countless times using words and phrases that my older brothers used because I thought it would make me "cooler." My brothers were also a big part of the reason I was an athlete; all of them played different sports and it was nice to have something in common.
5. My siblings keep me up to date on different topics.
Having three older brothers interested in different things makes it easy to stay up to date on different trends. Whether it be style, entertainment, sports, cars and so on, at least one of my brothers was semi-fluent in a topic, thus allowing me to gain knowledge more easily.
6. Being the youngest made me fight for a voice.
Being the youngest comes with your opinion not always holding the most weight, especially in disputes and decisions made among the siblings. You have to choose what battles you want to fight, because if you always just try and exert your opinion, no one will take you seriously. This was especially true when it came to what we wanted to watch.
7. But there have been challenges, too.
Being the youngest definitely has some pitfalls. It can seem like nothing you do is original, because at least one of your older siblings has already accomplished what you are trying to do. You are often compared to your older siblings as well, whether it is in your personality, looks or anything else.
8. Being the youngest means falling for older siblings' tricks.
As the youngest, you most likely will be the brunt of all your siblings' jokes, tricks—and possibly the blame for some of their actions. They learn quickly how gullible you (I was, anyways) are and use that to their advantage often.
I absolutely loved growing up with older brothers. I honestly wouldn't have had it any other way. Each of them has had a different impact on my life and helped shape me into the person that I am today. They are some of my best friends, and I am so grateful God blessed me with them.
