Being the youngest of your siblings is great, right? Well, imagine being the youngest of all of your first cousins as well. I am the youngest of my siblings and my first cousins on both my mom and dad’s side. So I am always used to being the youngest, and it’s always exciting when I find out I’m older than someone. Although it all sounds like bows and daisies to be the youngest, it’s not all that. I'll present some pros and cons of being the youngest child so that you can decide.
Pros
1. You’re first in line for food. I don’t know about y’all, but my family is huge, so first in line is a big thing and you are guaranteed that no food has run out.
2. You make everyone feel old. Your aunts, uncles, older cousins…anyone. One of the most common comments you get is “Stop growing up!” and “No, you can't be that old already!”
3. You get away with A LOT. I don’t mean every now and then. I mean literally almost everything you may have done. Most of the time your older sibling gets blamed for it (sorry sis!!).
4. You are good at taking people teasing you. With this comes the capability to also dish out the teasing. Being the youngest makes you adaptable. You take in what they say, accept it and then (wham!)—you hit them with a great comeback. It may not be exactly to what they said to you, but they know good and well why they are getting a teasing comment.
5. You’re the last baby of that generation. Within the time my oldest cousin to me being born, there was a lot of change in the world. Even from when I was born to now, there is so much nostalgia because we can still remember how it used to be before the technology advancements we have now.
Cons
1. You’re the last baby of that generation. Like I said, it’s a blessing and a curse. You were the last baby so everyone looks at you and all they see is a baby.
2. You aren’t told everything because you “can’t handle it.” All of the older cousins or aunts and uncles would be whispering about something and you walk into the conversation. You then ask what they’re talking about and they say, “Oh nothing, you’re too young to understand.” At this point I’ve learned that my best option is to roll my eyes and walk away. If I were to argue it they would just change the subject.
3. You’re the last to turn 21. When you’re younger, it doesn’t matter as much. But as a 20-year-old, and all of your cousins are 21 and older, you’re the only one not able to have a glass of champagne for a toast to the bride and groom. (Soon, though, very soon.)
4. You feel old. This is a weird sensation. Your oldest cousins are having babies while you’re still a teenager, and it’s almost like you’re not the baby anymore. For me, personally, the second cousin closest to my age is five years younger than me. That’s not a lot, but she’s in high school now and it’s crazy! It makes me feel old and understand what my older cousins are feeling with me, but on a smaller scale.
Now it’s your turn to decide if the pros outweigh the cons or vice versa. For me, I say I wouldn’t change being the youngest for the world.
