I was the first. I was the first girl who was mean, selfish and inconsiderate. I stole his toys and the last dessert without letting him know. I hit him, shoved him and called him ugly names and because of all these things I will be the one to tell you that you shouldn’t get to do those things.

As a kid, the fights are simple and the tears are endless. I have seen him cry more times than you probably ever will. When I took hit seat in the car, he cried. When I put the Christmas ornament on the tree that he wanted to, he cried. However, my brother is not a little kid anymore and his feelings aren’t about little things. The mean things you’ll do will have the power to cut him deeply. You are young and from my own life I can tell you that being young makes being selfish the easy first option. I think selflessness comes with age and it is something I am still deep in the throes of learning. Just keep in mind that your selfishness will affect my brother and his confidence. As a kid, I saw him run to his room to cry but as a young man he doesn’t do that anymore. When he is upset he keeps it to himself and you may never see how much you hurt him.

Your rejection and the things you say will stick with him and affect his future relationships. You may even make him question his own worth. I wish your role in his life did not carry so much weight but as a young person the affections of the opposite gender matter a lot. The only thing I can tell you is even if my brother is not right for you, he is worth your respect and acceptance. He is more than just handsome; he is sweet, kind, and smart. He seems tough and strong all the time, but I’m his sister and I know there is more to him under that serious face.

I love seeing him laugh and smile when he is playing sports and really having a good time. I know that some day a girl will make him smile that way and he will find the same joy and excitement in her that he does in sports. I also realize that with the ability to make him that happy comes the ability to hurt him. As Peter Parker would say, “with great power comes great responsibility”. Keep in mind that he is more sensitive than he looks, and he is more than just a tough young man. He has feelings and you have the ability to build him up or tear him down. I grew up hearing the phrase “she’s somebody’s little girl” thrown around about how boy’s should treat women but it goes the same way for how girls should treat the men in their lives. So I guess throughout all your future endeavors with the opposite sex keep in mind he may be somebody’s baby brother.