When I was 14, my mum told my siblings and I that we were getting another addition to our family. Already having three daughters, my parents were excited when my little brother was born, but I don't think they really realized how different raising boys and girls would really be. With my brother they experienced things that they didn't ever go through when my sisters and I were growing up.
With such a huge age gap between my brother and me, I'm really more of a second mother to him than an older sibling. Even though he can sometimes be a huge nuisance, I love him to bits and pieces and have honestly become a much better person since he's been in my life. Since he's come along, so many things in my life have changed and my day-to-day looks a little something like this:
1. You always have to be patient.
When dealing with kids, the key is patience. Yelling and screaming at them won't give you anything but a headache. At that age, they do not yet understand the concept of urgency and so any attempts to quickly cajole them into doing something are basically useless.
2. There's something fun to be found in any situation.
Little kids like to be entertained and they don't care where they are as long as you can make it happen. You'll have to find a way to make the everyday things around you look way more interesting than they really are to prevent an uncontrollable tantrum.
3. You will have to make sacrifices for your sibling.
I can't count many times I've canceled plans with friends or given up something that I really wanted for my brother. At first, it pisses you off and you want to throw your own fit and show that you can be difficult, too, but then you remember that the consequences would be worse for you than for your brother (so you immediately stop yourself). But you also realize that the job of being an older sister comes with making sacrifices that aren't always ideal for your siblings (plus your parents may feel bad and get you something better that what you gave — so it's a win-win!)
4. You're always singing kids' songs.
I can't lie, I've definitely been caught singing the "Paw Patrol" theme song out loud; it's just so freaking catchy!
5. People always think you're a teen mom.
Whenever I was alone with my brother in church or in a supermarket, I would never understand why people gave me funny looks when I passed by them. It wasn't until a year ago when someone asked me how old "my son" was that I figured it out.
6. Your friends like him more than they like you.
Whenever my friends come over and my brother's home, I can never get a word in because they're all over him. I don't mind because I get a break from looking after him for a while, but it sucks because we can't hang out alone because everything we do has to revolve around him.
7. You develop a deeper appreciation for your mom.
Seeing as I'm basically helping raise my brother, I'm going through a lot of the frustrations and annoyances that she went through while she was raising me, and it is yet another thing to add to the very long list of reasons why I'm grateful for my mom. The next time you see your mom, give her an extra long hug; it probably wasn't easy for her to put up with you as a kid.
Going to the cinema alone is good for your mental health, says science
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