Family is great, the bigger your family is, the more people will have your back when life becomes a little difficult. It's awesome to have someone to send those meme's to that your mom won't understand, or someone to make fun of the dad things your Dad does all of the time. But, when you're the older sibling, you're given a certain role in your family whether you realize it or not. So, if you feel the joy and pain of being the oldest sibling, here's a few experiences you may have gone through.
1. You're the test dummy.
Without your approval you're automatically designated to be the one to help your parents figure out what exactly to do in certain situations that they hadn't experienced before becoming a parent. Potty training, forcing me to eat sauerkraut, staying home alone for the first time, or figuring out how to deal with teen angst. Then when it's your siblings turn and you notice that they seem to be taking it much easier than they did with you, you're thinking.... "why me?"
2. Jealousy.
Every child goes through it, no matter how much you try to act like it didn't happen. We love our siblings and we can't imagine a life without them, but we were mad when all of the attention wasnt on us anymore. We fight with our siblings about it, even though its not their fault. Remember when your younger sibling got a cellphone 3 years before you ever even thought about it? Or when they were allowed to go hang out with their friends later than you were? Yeah, it's because they found out that it's okay to do those things after they tested it out on you. You're still mad about it, but there's nothing you can do to change it.
3. Becoming a taxi for your sibling.
When you get your license you become a taxi driver to help your parents get your younger sibling to their sports games, to their friends house, or wherever else they may need to go. You can refuse, but then you feel bad because you know your parents never stop running around for you.
4. You never get to be the only child, but they do when you go to college.
This goes back to my jealousy statement. Why do they get to take your bedroom and have all the snacks to their self when you are being the great example of independence and responsibility?
5. They want to do everything you're allowed to do.
Your parents don't seem to be as strict to your younger sibling, so they feel like they should be allowed to have the same opportunities that you do. They want to go hang out with their friends, they want to drive, they want to do everything you do. It's hard to change their minds when you're the one setting an example.
6. Watching your sibling grow up.
You don't realize that you're growing up until your sibling starts getting older just as quickly as you have. It's amazing how fast time goes by, suddenly your younger brother doesn't have a squeaky voice anymore. Or your younger sister starts wearing make up and is now the beautiful swan of the family. They're suddenly much taller than you, and that's when you're like "wow, we're old."
