Things Only The Oldest Sibling In The Family Can Nod Their Head To
Start writing a post
Siblings

15 Things Only The Oldest Sibling In The Family Can Nod Their Head To

There's something special about being the oldest child.

386
15 Things Only The Oldest Sibling In The Family Can Nod Their Head To
Lindsey McEvoy

As the oldest of four children, I have definitely found that there are both rewards and challenges that come with being the first-born. Being the oldest can be both exciting but also stressful at times. You get to watch your younger siblings grow up and provide them with guidance along the way. You're raised to be the role model for your younger siblings and are expected to live up to a high standard for them to follow.

To all the oldest siblings, here are 15 things we can all nod our heads to.

1. You play the third parent part and are called “bossy”.

Giphy

You're the third oldest in the household so of course, you feel the need to take charge and tell your siblings what to do when the time is right. It's inevitable and we're all guilty of it at some point.

2. You get priority over things because you were born first.

First born = authority

3. You’re overprotective and feel responsible for your siblings.

media.giphy.com

It's your job to protect your siblings in their time of need. If something happens to them, you feel guilty for not being able to do anything to help them.

4. You’re the voice of reason when your siblings don’t want to go to your parents.

You've had to navigate things on your own and have had more experience than they have. You're the role model your siblings look up to.

5. Your parents set higher expectations for you.

As the first born, your parents expect you to set a good example for your siblings.

6. You’re probably closer with your parents than your younger siblings are.

You're at the stage now where you're starting to see things from your parents' perspective and understand why they do what they do. Your siblings don't see this yet and you're expected to act as the mediator.

7. You’re the guinea pig for trying new things.

Being the first-born means you're the first to go through every milestone. You're probably not even nervous anymore, even though all of your siblings are paying attention to how you handle new experiences.

8. Your parents were wayyyy stricter with you than with your younger siblings.

You had an extremely early bedtime compared to your siblings now. Your curfew was much earlier than theirs is currently. You weren't allowed to watch certain TV shows or movies because they were Rated-R, which was especially annoying when your friends could.

9. Your closet is always open, without your consent.

media.giphy.com

This is definitely one of the worst parts about being the oldest. Every time you look in your closet, another piece of clothing is missing or is crumpled in a ball on the floor, which you know for a fact wasn't your doing. As the oldest, "sharing" your things becomes second nature and you learn to just let it go.

10. You’ll always be the chauffeur/designated driver and you can’t get away from it.

Just because you got your license first, shouldn't mean that you have to drive your siblings everywhere, but let's face it, you're expected to.

11. You’re the first to leave the house and your siblings will miss you dearly.

media.giphy.com

It's funny that you don't actually realize how much your siblings like hanging out with you until you go away to college and then your phone blows up with texts from them saying they miss you.

12. You love your siblings more than anything and will do anything for them because you know they will do the same for you.

media.giphy.com

You have a deep appreciation for your siblings and realize that not everyone is as close with their siblings as you are.

13. You’d rather hang out with your siblings than your friends.

media.giphy.com

It's true! Sometimes you'd just rather get comfy and watch a movie with your siblings than go out on a Friday night until 2 a.m.

14. You’re expected to pay for your own things while your parents still pay for your siblings.

media.giphy.com

Once you get to a certain age, you're probably earning some type of income and at this point, your parents stop paying for materialistic things for you while your siblings are getting things for free.

15. You are their biggest cheerleader.

You love watching them succeed.

Being the oldest sibling is something that I've learned to love and wouldn't trade for the world. The #1 thing I've learned is that you can't screw up, because your siblings are always watching.

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

27 Hidden Joys

Appreciation for some of life's most discredited pleasures.

27619
Best Things in Life

Life is full of many wonderful pleasures that many of us, like myself, often forget about. And it's important to recognize that even on bad days, good things still happen. Focusing on these positive aspects of our day-to-day lives can really change a person's perspective. So in thinking about the little things that make so many of us happy, I've here's a list of some of the best things that often go unrecognized and deserve more appreciation:

Keep Reading...Show less
beer on the beach

Summer is hot and humid, and it's almost like summer was made specifically to drink the refreshing, cold, crisp wonderful, delicious, nutritious nectar of the gods. Which is none other than beer; wonderful cold beer. With summer playing peek-a-boo around the corner while we finish up this semester, it's time to discuss the only important part of summer. And if you haven't already guessed, it's beer. There are few things I take more seriously than my beer, in order are: sports... and beer. Here are my favorite summer brews:

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

7 Reasons SoCal Rocks!

75 degrees and sunny, plus, no humidity. I mean do I really need to say more?

1941
woman in black and white long sleeve shirt carrying girl in red jacket in Venice beach
Photo by Jeff Hopper on Unsplash

SoCal summers are the best summers by far, and honestly, no argument is needed. But, if you aren't sure why SoCal summers are the best, here are 7 reasons why!

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

25 Lyrics for Selfie Captions

Because let's be honest, we all use lyrics.

54047
woman takes a selfie for social media
Pixabay

Sometimes you can't think of the perfect caption for your Instagram post. I love using lyrics as my captions because there's so many great lines in songs that just seem to fit in the moment. Here are some lyrics that could work for your selfie or pictures of you with your friends!

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Bruce Springsteen's Top 7 Lyrics

Everything Bruce says in his classic rock songs.

20550
bruce springsteen album cover born in the usa

Anyone who was born and raised in New Jersey (or anywhere really) knows of Bruce Springsteen, whether or not they like him is a whole other situation. I hope that his hundreds of classic rock songs and famous high energy performances, even in his sixties he can put on better concerts than people half his age, are at least recognizable to people of all ages. Love him or hate him (I identify with the former) you have to admit that some of his songs and interviews have inspirational quotes and lyrics.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments