There are many times I find myself thinking about the trials and tribulations of being the oldest sibling in the family. I figured I would write them out in order to see if anybody else has ever experienced the joy/pain that I have felt over the years. Hopefully I am not alone in these feelings!

1. Your parents somehow expect you to have it all figured out.

2. You are the “trial run.”

3. With everything.

4. Including your parents' interesting hippie fashion taste and hairstyles during your younger years.

5. You strive to be a good example for your siblings, but life is hard.

6. You go to college first.

7. You are the first to adult.

8. You do everything first.

9. When you expect to be taken care of when you’re sick at a certain age, your parents are like, "haha".

10. Your perception is that the youngest child can do whatever they want.

11. And you’re probably right.

12. You are a permanent babysitter/chauffeur.

13. When your younger brother came home, the phrase “please take him back to the hospital” may have been uttered.

14. You realize that dressing your younger brothers up in princess clothes will not, in fact, make them sisters.

15. You know the phrase “You are older and should know better” all too well from the younger years.

16. You were/are often called “bossy.”

17. There is often an angsty phase at some point in your life where you try to “find yourself.”

18. But fail miserably.

19. You learn all the hip new trends of the youths these days and feel old.

20. But you know you would never trade your siblings in for anything in the world, and despite the struggle, sometimes you enjoy being the oldest after all.