Being the eldest child in the family can be quite the experience, from being the first to try new things to driving your younger siblings to and from their friends’ every day. While the role comes with a ton of responsibly and high expectations, there are many benefits too. The cool thing about being the oldest is that everyone depends on you. The worst thing about being the oldest is… everyone depends on you. Here are just a few things almost every first child can relate to:
1. You are the role model
Naturally, the oldest child tends to obtain leadership qualities that are to be demonstrated amongst the younger siblings. It is pretty much your job to get on their case when necessary, share your own experiences, and make them understand that they are held responsible for their own duties. Furthermore, this mannerism is revealed within friend groups; even though you and your friends may be the same age, if you’re the oldest in your family and your pal in the youngest, there will be a noticeable difference in personalities.
2. You take the blame
Being the oldest comes with a bottomless pit of responsibilities. Not only are you the role model for your younger relatives, but also it is your job to keep them in check. When they act out, in many cases it’s your fault for not helping them understand right from wrong. As you grow up, these expectations die down a little bit, but your parents are just hoping and praying that you can help your siblings establish a better conscience in their tiny, undeveloped brains. Oh, I almost forgot; as the oldest, you also tend to think your siblings never fully develop a brain.
3. You’re the first to try new things.
One of the benefits of being the oldest child in the family is that you pretty much get to try it all first. From learning how to swim to dangling car keys around your neck, it’s not too bad being the “cool” sibling that already knows how to everything your younger siblings will eventually have to learn.
4. You are the Chauffer.
Yes, you get to be the first child to get your license. And yes you are expected to drive your brother and/or sister around the entire state you live in. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but still, when you get that new ID, your parents are thrilled because that means they don’t have to pick your brother or sister up from practice every day after school. It’s a fun job at first, since you get to blast your favorite songs and show off your new driver skills…but this stage of enjoyment is short-lived once they grow up; they’ll steal your aux cord to play horrendous music, and you’ll end up having to share a car with your brother who leaves half-eaten pop tarts in the back seat.
5. Apparently, your friends are your younger sibling’s friends too.
When your siblings are really young, they look up to you beyond belief. You literally walk on water in his or her eyes, so anyone you bring home is automatically just as cool as you, if not cooler. Rule of thumb: don’t bring home friends that are cheerleaders; you will come out of the bathroom to find them tossing your sister in the air in the backyard. Seriously, your friends will likely give your cute younger sibling more attention than they will give to you.
6. You’re very protective of your younger siblings.
While you might pick on your siblings solely for entertainment, you will beat up just about anyone else who tries to do the same. Over the years, it gets more and more difficult to see your siblings grow up, go out on dates, and attend parties. Even though your brother or sister might think you’ve become downright crazy or that you lecture them more than mom and dad, you only want what is best for them. It’s completely natural to be shocked at the various benchmarks in your siblings’ lives as well; it’s hard to see them grow up.
7. Your clothes seem to randomly disappear.
As the oldest sister in the family, having a younger sister is both a blessing and a curse. 100% of the times that I look in my closet, at least five shirts are missing. I stopped buying so much clothing, knowing that the family thief would pick it up the next day. I left for college thinking that if I brought all my clothes with me, my sister would be miserable. However, I only had so much room in my suitcase, and I wasn’t surprised to find my entire wardrobe in her closet when I came back for break.
8. Your parents have very high expectations of you.
I honestly can’t stress this enough. The expectations start out high, and they also remain fairly high. Though I’ve learned that these expectations actually teach you to be more responsible, trustworthy, and hard working. For some people, high expectations lead to disappointment and heartbreak. As the oldest child, however, you MUST understand that these high standards are only designed to push you in becoming a better leader.
9. You typically have the strongest relationship with your parents.
As you grow up, you share stories, memories, and other secrets with your parents that probably make them more aware of what your siblings are doing at a younger age. You develop a level of trust with your parents that can’t simply be replicated by rebel siblings, or any sibling for that matter. Parents don’t normally pick favorites, however, you are extremely special in their eyes. After acting like another guardian for your siblings for the entirety of your adolescent life, it’s typical to have a lot in common with your parents.
Although being the oldest child comes with a ton responsibility within the family unit, it’s not too bad of a role to be blessed with. Even though you’re the scapegoat as a child, your car eventually becomes an unpaid Uber for your sister and all her friends, and your clothes vanish each time you leave the room, you wouldn’t want to have it any other way.
