Most of the time you hear complaints about being the youngest in the family or even the middle child. But being the oldest has it's hardships, even if it may not be as obvious as the rest. Although, it does completely rock not getting hand-me-downs from my siblings or having someone acting like my mom constantly, being the oldest sucks in it's own ways.
You have to make all the mistakes first.
The hardest part about being the oldest is setting an example for your younger siblings. Whether it be in the sense of school, sports, or even simply your reputation, you are setting the standards. Although some may take this as a good thing, not having to follow up behind anyone. But truly, it has it's consequences as well.
As the oldest, you are required to test all your parent's limits and find out on your own what is okay and what is not. That means that you always get in trouble first. You have to (normally) be the first to fail a test, the first to get caught sneaking out, and the first to have a party while your parent's are out of town.
Overall, being the one to set the standards of what your parents expect from your little siblings can be hard. But, if you do it right, you could also potentially be praised for all the RIGHT things you did, leading to them following in your footsteps.
You will always get stuck babysitting.
"Well, we're actually going to need you to stay home Friday night. We're going out and we don't want to leave your younger sibling(s) all alone."
The classic line that every oldest kid has heard before. Oh, and don't expect to be paid either, because it's your younger sibling, so why wouldn't you want to spend time with them? Even though you had plans, cancel them because mom and dad will trump you on this one no matter what.
But, in cases that you don't have plans, babysitting your siblings can actually be very fun. Depending on their age, you either get to spend the night acting like a kid or watching T.V. with them in the living room. Don't get too upset about babysitting them, you'll miss it when they're grown up.
You will also become an additional taxi when the time comes.
Turning the age of 16 is all fun and games until you have to add on your siblings' schedule as well. Whether it be taking them to school (that starts earlier than yours) or dropping them off at practice, be prepared to be the newest taxi driver of your house. Especially if your parents pay for your insurance and gas, that one will always come back to bite you in the butt if you ever try to say no.
And again, it depends on how you look at the situation. Being my siblings' taxi has turned into bonding moments with the car radio at maximum volume, throats hurting from singing so loud, and slurpees in our hand coming back from a-n-y-where. There's no other moments that'll feel like these.
In the end, being the oldest does have its few downsides. But, having the opportunity to watch your younger sibling(s) grow and learn is the best experience ever. You literally are able to watch them establish themselves, and learn from their (and your) mistakes.
There is no better feeling than being the oldest in my family, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
