When it comes to being the eldest child in a family, it can be one of the most stressful things in your life, but it does have some nice perks. Uou won't always love this position and you may constantly think "What would happen if I was the youngest?" but you will come to see that you being the oldest is actually really cool.
1. You will always be the guinea pig for everything.
First to be born, first to get a car, and first to go to college are just a few first that your parents have to figure out. So by the time your siblings come around, your parents are pros.
2. You had rules and restrictions that your younger siblings never had.
While you were on lockdown with an ankle bracelet, your siblings can just chill out. It’s infurating seeing things you couldn’t do but your siblings can.
3. You realize that your parents gave birth to a free babysitter/tutor.
You might as well put “volunteer” on your resume because of the amount of unpaid hours of help you gave. By the way, the hours rack up if you have more than one sibling.
4. You will always be a role model… literally forever.
Younger siblings are like monkeys. Monkey-see, monkey-do, right?
5.It’s your fault because you’re old enough to know wrong from right.
This is pretty understandable. So yeah, my fault.
6. If your sibling screwed up, then it’s your fault because you’re the responsible one.
Excuse me, what?
7. When you get your driver’s license, your siblings get a free driver.
The rest of your life until you go to college will be the remake of "Driving Miss Daisy" and you’ll be Morgan Freeman. But you won’t be as happy.
8. You’ve had to figure a lot of stuff out by yourself.
You didn’t have anyone close to your age helping you out get through life unless you want to live a few decades in the past with your parents. You may feel left out when people your age make references that you haven’t quite gotten yet but the love of 90s music will forever be with you.
9. When they become taller than you, the rage is absolutely unexplainable.
Growing up, you have always had someone looking up at you and that gave you a little bit of a “god complex” but when they become taller than you… you have to look up at them and your ego is forever changed .
10. There will be sacrifices once there is a new baby.
No hoop earrings, no Legos, pretty much anything that could be swallowed by a baby had to be taken from your life.
11. You feel like there is constantly a smaller version of yourself following you around.
Siblings will literally try everything in their power to be you; same clothes, same favorite music, same attitude, same everything. Everything you own will be taken and kept in the limbo where missing socks go.
But wait! There are some upsides to being the eldest sibling.
12. Had it not been for you being born first, you siblings wouldn’t have even been born.
You were born at the right time and the right place that led to your siblings being born. Also, you must have been the best child ever because your parents thought that they could luck out again with a second one with the way they had raised you.
13. The passenger seat is your birthright, your divine right that has been earned!
Literally there is nothing your siblings can do to take this right away from you. There is not enough bribing they can give. But when you are away at college or school, you will hand that position down until you are back. “You are not worthy."
14. You are the encyclopedia to growing up.
Siblings need life advice, look no further. You can make sure they don’t make the same mistakes you made but that they can make their own. Plus, if your sibling is growing up, you have materials that they may need later on in life.
15. You love watching them reach new life goal.
You pretty much were the second parent. But seeing your siblings pass huge moments in life, you can’t help but think that you had some hand in how they handled themselves.
16. You know how to… or well how NOT to lose it if something upsets you.
18 plus years of dealing siblings getting under your skin has lead to a wiser, more mature you. You’ve learned patience, forgiveness, and self-restraint, that is until you get to your apartment and... *SNAP*
17. Knowing that statistically, eldest siblings do better in life.
Being the eldest will most likely lead you to become a Type-A personality but there are very famous eldest children. For example J.R. Rowling, Beyoncé, James Franco, Winston Churchill, and more than half of the Presidents and all Noble Prize Winners.
18. But you will love your younger siblings to death and protect them with your life.
You wouldn't have it any other way.
