Many advantages and hardships come with being the youngest sibling. The way your older siblings behaved and what they accomplished can have a big impact on how tough your parents are on you. Here is a list of experiences you can expect to endure if you were the last child your parents decided, or didn't decide, to have.

1. The strictest rules imposed by your parents will be torn down by your time.

For the most part, you get away with more than your brothers and sisters did because your parents are just tired at this point. They don’t need to prove themselves as parents anymore. Since your older siblings are successful, they can relax and let you take a trip with your friends that your sister never even dreamed of.

2. You will always be seen as the baby.

Even though you can get away with more things, your parents refuse to accept that you are growing up. They check up on your grades and remind you to take care of yourself constantly. You are the last family member to be told what’s going on because your parents didn’t want to worry or upset you.

3. The mistakes of your siblings will guide your path.

From avoiding bad teachers in high school to getting out of trouble with parents, your siblings have taught you everything you need to know to survive through 18 years. After that, you are on your own. Nothing can prepare you for college and beyond.

4. Living with the high expectations your siblings have set.

You are proud of their accomplishments, but your sister getting her PhD and securing a high-paying medical career certainly doesn’t make your life easier. You keep warning your mom that you won’t be making those figures with your environmental degree but she refuses to let you off the hook. Before long your sister will be marrying her perfect boyfriend and buying a house while you are scrolling through Tinder for possible matches.

5. Everyone always compares you to your siblings.

In addition to those expectations from your parents, every teacher, neighbor, and family friend will be telling you how much you look like your siblings and comparing your personalities. Maybe you aren’t as outgoing as your sister or as witty as your brother, but everyone will expect you to be.

6. You love watching your siblings tackle life before you.

Admiring the courage of your siblings to take on the real world is a lot easier when you don’t have to face that challenge yourself yet. Their success gives you hope that you will be able to find a job someday too.

7. Being the last to leave your parents.

Although seeing the success of your siblings is enjoyable, you are left with the burden of being the last to move away from home. It is an inevitable part of life, but you feel particularly guilty about leaving your parents with no more kids to care for. It doesn’t help when everyone makes comments about you being the reason you parents will become “empty-nesters”.

Overall, you bask in the benefits of having older siblings to learn from and appreciate the paths and guidelines they have given you. There are times when you wish you would be taken more seriously, but as you grow older you slowly begin to realize the great lengths your family has gone to protect your young soul and you can't ever be mad.