Nine and eleven are the number of years that separate my older brother and sister from myself. So by the time I was in preschool, both of them were well into their teen years. Though our age gap was large, I commend them for letting me, an odd little girl, tag along with them throughout life. I watched them go through the obstacles of life patiently waiting my turn to be a teenager and grow up too.
Now, as a (kind of) adult, I miss all the times I spent following them around, and appreciate whenever we can all be together. My older siblings should not go underrated as they act as pillars in which I can model myself after (most of the time). Thus, this one is for you Kara and Jake: Five perks of having older siblings.
1. You always had a babysitter growing up.
Both my brother and sister were often given the responsibility of babysitting my younger sister and I. When our parents were gone, we were free to do what we wanted. Often we turned to making home videos with their hilariously embarrassing content still laughed about today (think the TV show "Survivor"). If this was just any hired babysitter, these memories wouldn't be nearly as entertaining.
2. You have someone who has seen you grow up, but is not your parents.
Older siblings understand what it's like to be a preteen, teenager, and young adult without the generational gap of several decades separating you from your parents. Both of my siblings tried to teach me how to drive when I was too stressed out by my parents, and understand what it is like to live with them in general. My brother and I can have easy conversation about our lives, and my older sister has often offered me the best advice when I'm having a bad day. Talking to them over parents sometimes offers an opportunity to get a more understanding viewpoint from people who have known me my entire life.
3. You get to be the cool younger aunt/uncle.
Since our age gap is large, I am able to be an aunt as a young adult. My older sister has three sons now, and I love my status as the young aunt. This allows me to have an even closer relationship with my nephews. Also, I can finally return the favor of all those years of babysitting.
4. They know how weird you were as a kid and don't use it against you (most of the time).
Older siblings see you go from diapers to driving and they have millions of embarrassing stories about you on hand, yet they don't share them with the world. Besides the occasional roasting I get at family functions, my siblings accepted me as a weird little girl and a slightly less weird adult. That deserves a lot of props because I'm sure they could mortify me if they wanted to. If you are reading this Kara and Jake, please don't!
5. They support you even as an adult.
Though I am no longer a little kid clinging to my older siblings, they still offer help when I need it. Even though I am in college, and they are in different cities our support for each other is unwavering. This support includes sharing my articles each week on Facebook and making people read them. For that, among so many other things, I thank them, giving them the recognition they deserve. I love you Kara and Jake!
