What it's like to be the oldest sibling | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Relationships

5 Reasons Being The Oldest Sibling Is WAY Better Than Being The Youngest Or Middle Child

Sure, being the youngest may have its perks, but being the oldest is really where it's at.

356
5 Reasons Being The Oldest Sibling Is WAY Better Than Being The Youngest Or Middle Child

In This Article:

Time after time, I see articles and lists on my timeline boasting about how incredible it is being the "baby" of the family.

"It's so great to be spoiled!"
"I'm treated like royalty!"
"I'm definitely the favorite child."

While I can't speak for the middle child(ren), on behalf of all of the oldest siblings, there are definitely perks that accompany being born first that aren't experienced by any of the other age ranges. We may not be the youngest, but we're still pretty kickass in our own way.

1. You can bribe them to do things for you.

https://giphy.com/gifs/season-20-the-simpsons-20x4...

Being the oldest sibling generally means you're the first child to have a job, meaning you have your own money to carelessly spend.

Need something from the local convenience store, but don't want to run in yourself? Send the sibling in and let them buy something for themselves, too.

Got a chore you don't want to do? Offer to throw the youngest a few bucks if they'll do it for you.

Honestly, the bribing possibilities are near endless when you've got younger siblings, and I'd highly recommend they be utilized.

2. You're like another parent to them.

https://giphy.com/gifs/siblings-YDvIA924QQE9i

You get to be another influence for how they'll see the world, and another person they can look up to as they grow older.

They get to watch you, and learn by your example on how to navigate life from somebody other than your parents. They can turn to you for advice, help with schoolwork and "relationship problems," and can count on you to be at their important life events.

You are, to some extent, just as important to them as your parents are.

3. They can talk to you about things they're too scared to talk to your parents about.

https://giphy.com/gifs/the42-parental-characterist...

As the oldest sibling, I am completely prepared to answer "weird" questions from my siblings, now and later, and am honored that they trust me enough to ask me such things.

Regardless of how close you are with your parents, sometimes you just can't bring yourself to talk to them about certain topics. I love my mother, and trust her with my life, but talking to her about my "monthly visitor" didn't become any easier until I wasn't a teenager anymore.

Being able to act as a knowledgeable resource for your younger siblings is really incredible, for both you and them.

4. You get to be their first best friend.

https://giphy.com/gifs/reactionseditor-will-ferrel...

My younger sister constantly says my name, only to tell me, "I love you." She follows me around the house when she's bored. She asks my opinion about everything before she makes a decision. She wants to go with me everywhere, anytime I try to leave the house.

I was one of her first best friends, and she is currently one of mine, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Sure, you can still be close to your siblings, even if you aren't the oldest, but there's something about having both a parental and youthful relationship that makes your friendship with them even more meaningful.

5. You were your parents crash test dummy, so you know the younger siblings' childhood will be bangin'.

https://giphy.com/gifs/funny-cute-fail-xYkArTGvP7xqo

My parents were personally all really great parents for me having been the first child, but I've read plenty of horror stories about the first child being sort of a "trial" child regarding what they can, can't, and should or shouldn't do.

Although it may seem like a downside at the time, being the first child and "test dummy" for your parents is actually really great.

You get to ensure that your younger siblings all have the greatest, safest, best childhood they possibly can, because now your parents know what not to do.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
ross geller
YouTube

As college students, we are all familiar with the horror show that is course registration week. Whether you are an incoming freshman or selecting classes for your last semester, I am certain that you can relate to how traumatic this can be.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

Bonus points if it is more than two.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

12 Things I Learned my Freshmen Year of College

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

3385
friends

Whether you're commuting or dorming, your first year of college is a huge adjustment. The transition from living with parents to being on my own was an experience I couldn't have even imagined- both a good and a bad thing. Here's a personal archive of a few of the things I learned after going away for the first time.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

Economic Benefits of Higher Wages

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

302340
Illistrated image of people crowded with banners to support a cause
StableDiffusion

Raising the minimum wage to a livable wage would not only benefit workers and their families, it would also have positive impacts on the economy and society. Studies have shown that by increasing the minimum wage, poverty and inequality can be reduced by enabling workers to meet their basic needs and reducing income disparities.

I come from a low-income family. A family, like many others in the United States, which has lived paycheck to paycheck. My family and other families in my community have been trying to make ends meet by living on the minimum wage. We are proof that it doesn't work.

Keep Reading...Show less
blank paper
Allena Tapia

As an English Major in college, I have a lot of writing and especially creative writing pieces that I work on throughout the semester and sometimes, I'll find it hard to get the motivation to type a few pages and the thought process that goes behind it. These are eleven thoughts that I have as a writer while writing my stories.

Keep Reading...Show less
April Ludgate

Every college student knows and understands the struggle of forcing themselves to continue to care about school. Between the piles of homework, the hours of studying and the painfully long lectures, the desire to dropout is something that is constantly weighing on each and every one of us, but the glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel helps to keep us motivated. While we are somehow managing to stay enrolled and (semi) alert, that does not mean that our inner-demons aren't telling us otherwise, and who is better to explain inner-demons than the beloved April Ludgate herself? Because of her dark-spirit and lack of filter, April has successfully been able to describe the emotional roller-coaster that is college on at least 13 different occasions and here they are.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments