I was born into the forever job of being the oldest sibling.

I am one of four. We are all four years apart: 19-years-old, 15-years-old, 11-years-old and 6-years-old. We have times where we can't stand each other and times where we are inseparable. However, there are some things that I wish I knew I would experience before being born into this job.

I am an unpaid babysitter.

Babysitting is something almost everyone has to do at one point in their lives; whether they're one of four or one of two or even an only child who has fertile neighbors. There have been several times where I have been not only asked, but told to stay home and watch over my siblings because I was the only one of the four old enough to be left alone.

That's a downside of being so far apart in age, even if one of us is an adult, another could still be in kindergarten.

There's nothing like practicing business negotiations with your little brother who is trying to go from a 5-minute shower to a 15-minute "play shower" with his new toy boat.

I am the trial run.

My parents had no idea how to deal with me; they're still learning. Every single milestone has been completely new to not only me but them as well. So, I get to be the guinea pig. Once they go through me, they know how to approach the situation with the next child, even with the smallest things.

Like when I didn't know how to apply to high school magnet programs or how competitive it would be, we were all lost yet hopeful. But now, we know what to expect. The same with colleges, universities and dealing with financial aid. They will know how to approach things better and what to do and not do because of the example I was able to set for them.

Also, remember when mom made me wait until I was 15-years-old to get a phone but you got one when you were 6-years-old? You're welcome. I have saved you hours of misunderstandings, confusion and arguments.

I would become a master chef.

I was always taunted for not wanting to learn how to cook everything under the moon like my latin roots suggested. My grandma was afraid I wouldn't be able to provide for my family or even myself at one point. Somehow, being the third parent has gotten me over that hump and I have mastered the art of making three different meals at once. Pancakes, a chicken sandwich and rice with beans all ready at the same time? Not a problem for the eldest.

Each of my siblings likes their eggs cooked differently: boiled, scrambled and just the whites. I didn't know there were so many ways to make them until they started getting old enough to get picky.

I've even mastered snack foods to keep them busy like homemade pizza bagels or ham and cheese rolls.

I would be unapologetically overprotective.

Without a doubt, I am willing to confront anyone that gives any of my siblings a tough time.

No matter who they are, I am not afraid to speak up for them. I may have been a brat when each of the little monsters was born, but I can't imagine my life without them, at all. I've cried at every kindergarten graduation and middle school orientation and plan on letting the tears flow more and more in the future as they continue to grow into amazing adults.

In all honesty, I'm glad I experienced life first so I could prepare them to live theirs to the absolute fullest.

I love my brothers and sister more than anything in the entire world. They are everything to me.

I am the eldest and I wouldn't change it, even if I could. I hate being apart from them, but then can't wait to get away. Our laughs are the loudest, our jokes are weirdest and our love is the absolute strongest. No matter what changes around us, we will always have each other. Everything that affects them, affects me as well.

We may bicker all the time but at the end of the day, we each have three guaranteed best friends for the rest of our lives.