I may be biased, but being the youngest sibling is way better than being the oldest or the middle child. Personally, I had the unique experience of growing up with siblings, but living like an only child.

My siblings already broke in my parents for me; they set the precedents for what kinds of good and bad behavior I would have to live up to. If I'm ever worried that I may get into a lot of trouble with my parents over something, I just remember that one of my siblings did something way worse. In essence, I get away with more stuff than they ever probably could.

I always have someone to talk to who understand my parents. Yes, you can always complain to your friends about an argument you got into with your parents, but nobody can truly understand the situation like your siblings can.

I am forever the baby of the family. Because of this, my older siblings are always expected to be the mature and responsible ones, whereas I have less high standards to meet. Which means that, if I happen to handle a situation in a particularly mature or responsible way, I am praised.

I love having a name to live up to. I loved how once I got to high school and people asked me what my last name was, I was instantly recognized. I loved how people assumed I was athletic because my siblings were, and I loved showing them that they were right in that assumption.

When I started kindergarten, my sister was starting her senior year of high school. There are 12 years between my sister and me, yet today we are closer than a lot of sisters that I know. My sister can remember the day I was born and she was the one who walked me down the aisle for my high school graduation, just as I had walked her twelve years prior. Because of our age difference, my sister has always been more responsible and mature than me. I can call her up and discuss what party my friends and I went to on a Saturday night and tell her everything that happened. She'll listen like a sister and best friend would, but in the same phone call, she can give me a two-minute lecture on safe drinking and remind me over again to not walk home alone.

My relationship with my brothers has always provided me with a set of protective males in my life, other than just my dad. Like most big brothers, they have always picked on me, fought with me and never let me win any game. But as I've gotten older, my brothers have also been there as sources of financial support and people I can talk to about decisions in my life.

I honestly believe I grew up living the best of both worlds. I got all the attention I wanted and needed from my parents, my own bedroom and I rarely had to share a bathroom. But when it came time for the holidays, my siblings were always there and we were always together as a family. It didn't matter that my siblings didn't believe in Santa anymore, they would still wake up as early as I wanted them to on Christmas morning. It didn't matter that my brother was 25, it didn't stop him from knocking me over as we were both searching and fighting over Easter eggs.

Growing up with siblings who weren't always around made me appreciate them more when they were. Because I am the youngest sibling by twelve years, I grew up with the best of both worlds.