If you’re the youngest in your family, like me, we can relate on so many levels. But for those of you who can't relate, here’s just a few pros and cons to being the baby.
PRO: We got away with everything. Literally, everything.
Just admit it, if you're the youngest, you’re a spoiled little brat. From high school parties to cartilage piercings to skipping school, you didn’t have to worry about worrisome parents. Don’t get me wrong, my parents are incredible and never cease to amaze me, but after putting in all that effort for the first few kids, I can see how it would get a little old after a while. I'll be honest though, whenever I don't get a call or text for being out past curfew, I'd wonder if they forgot about me. But hey, I think I turned out alright.
CON: We will forever be treated like an infant.
I’m 21 years old and I still, to this day, am not allowed to sit in the front seat of the car when I’m with my siblings. Even my puppy dog eyes don't get me a shotgun seat. How tragic. The excuse was always that I was the smallest and didn’t need all of the legroom, but I’m definitely a full grown human now. Clearly, I'm a little salty, but I’ll admit, it’s kind of fun being the center of attention in the back, middle seat. Oh yeah, if you didn't know already, we can't function when the attention isn't on us.
PRO: Our awkward stage was not nearly as bad as it was for our siblings.
Unfortunately, my sisters never had someone older to tell them that their hot pink braces didn’t compliment their lime green mini skirts. In my 2nd grade eyes, they looked like rock stars, but now that I look back, I cringe a little. And don’t even get me started with my brother’s Etnies and tank top phase. I’m blessed to have only suffered partially from the brace face stage, but I'm even more blessed to have the best blackmail on my older siblings.
CON: We always had to deal with a lot of freaking pressure.
I love bragging about my siblings, I really do, but when they keep setting the bar higher and higher, it becomes impossible to even reach the bar. However, after all these years, I’ve learned that falling short isn’t always a bad thing. They may have the brains or the white picket fence, but I can make a mean grilled cheese sandwich. Really though, I’ve learned to look on the bright side and remind myself how cool I am.
PRO: We’re always there to lighten the mood.
We may not have a cute baby face anymore, but we still make everyone happier when we step into the room. Sadly, we were never taken seriously when we were younger and we honestly still aren’t. But, you know what? I'm not mad about it. Because no matter how old I am, I won't get in trouble for cracking jokes at a funeral. Instead, I'll get the usual: a few weird looks, a displeased head shake from my mom, and a lot of laughs. We’re the baby; we don’t know any better.
All in all, I’m going to admit that the pros outweigh the cons. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been playing the youngest child card since birth and I don’t plan on growing up anytime soon.
