I was blessed with the title of being the oldest sibling in my family. I have two younger sisters, one exactly one year and two days younger than me, the other a little more than eight years younger. Being the oldest is probably the hardest and most rewarding job I've had so far, here are five reasons why.
1. You are the guinea pig, always.
Being the first means that you are basically the trial run in your parents' lives. Not knowing how to deal with the 2 A.M wake up calls for a diaper change, dealing with your first fall, the first day of school, your first boyfriend and eventual first heartbreak, your first day of high school, your last day of high school, and everything in between. They haven't quite figured out how to let you do your own thing without suffocating your social life but also not being too lenient. They eventually come to figure it out but not until you have had a protective bubble around you and a helmet and knee pads when riding your bike with training wheels to make sure you don't get hurt.
2. You are the role model whether you like it or not.
The younger ones will follow you around until they find their own way, but chances are, they will pick up all of your good, and bad habits while trying to find their own path. Before you know it, your hairstyles and t shirts will have been hijacked because they want to be "just like you." All of your mistakes, all of your wins, all of your catch phrases are no longer yours, they have become "ours". Your younger siblings will look up to you everyday for the rest of your life and there is nothing you can do, so you better make sure the choices you make are good ones.
3. Your younger siblings will always be your number one best friends.
It may not always seem like it, but they are the only people in your life who will never turn your back on you no matter what. Friends will come and go, but your siblings are there for life and will back you up no matter how bad you mess up.
4. Everything that was once yours becomes shared by all.
Attention, toys, food, clothes, you name it, it no longer has your name on it. Your parents have more than one kid to focus on so all the attention that you had gets cut in half, thirds, fourths, depending on how many siblings you have. People will always refer to you as the other sibling because they can't remember which is which and won't recognize you without the rest of the clan. All your belongings are no longer, "just yours," and you have no choice in the matter.
5. Despite everything they have ever done, you would do anything for them in a heartbeat.
No matter how much attention they take from you, the mess ups they make, how may times they tattle on you to their parents, they will always be your best friends and when it comes down on it you would do whatever it takes to make sure they are happy and safe. Your siblings are your shoulder to lean on, your hug when you need it, the person to laugh at your joke even when it isn't funny, They could never turn their back on you and you would never turn your back on them. Siblings are life's greatest gifts and being the oldest has taught me countless life lessons that I couldn't be any more grateful for.
