I would be lying if I were to say I didn’t secretly hope for a girl when my parents brought my brother home. I wanted to have someone to do all the stereotypical “girl” stuff with. Braid her hair, swap clothes, and watch chick flicks together. But as time passed, I have realized that my little brother is the best thing that my parents have ever given to me.

When you give a girl a brother, you are giving her…

Uncontrollable laughter. These two will share their entire childhood together. All the days when the power went out and they had to find something to entertain themselves. Running to the ice cream truck on a hot day, shoving each other down the stairs in laundry baskets just because they are bored, or jumping around on the couches because the floor is hot lava. These will be some of the funniest memories that they will cherish forever. Simply because it made them laugh until their stomach hurt. He will make her laugh time and time again.

A partner in crime. Who else would help her con her parents into buying a puppy or cover up the fact that they dented the basement door?

Someone to protect. No one is allowed to make fun of her brother, except for her. She may call him ugly and say his feet smell, but if ANYONE else were to do that, well, it wouldn't be pretty. She will protect him as best as she can, as often as she can. As he grows up, it will be hard for his sister to be there 24/7, but he knows that if he ever needs her, she will be there.

Someone to protect her. He will be there for her and always watch out for her feelings, even if he is the baby of the family. Siblings are there for each other and when you give a girl a little brother, you give her a little bodyguard. No boy will break her heart and get away with it, not with her brother around.

Love beyond compare. No questions asked. Under no conditions. Judgement free. He will love her for the rest of his life, and she will love him more. He may not tell her every day, and he may never hug her when she heads back to college, but she knows how he feels. Deep down, she will always know. It may come unspoken, but never unfelt.

Her greatest friend. This will be the one person that will always be there for her, never betray her trust, and love her even on her darkest of days. He will be her favorite person to see after a long time away from home, the one who makes her laugh the most, and he will be the greatest friend she will ever have. When you give a girl a little brother, you are giving her everything.

A reason to be great. He will look up to her, no matter how many times he says that he won’t. What she does will impact him and the decisions he makes in his life. How she handles a sticky situation or how she treats her friends and the way she lets them treat her. She will take this as one of her biggest responsibilities. Being an outstanding role model will be one of her top priorities. She will be great so that he will be, too.

When you give a girl a little brother, you are giving her the greatest gift of her entire life. I can promise you that.