Siblings add to the craziness that we call family. While we may occasionally wonder how we’re even related to our brothers or sisters, we know deep down that life wouldn’t be the same without them. Being the baby of the family immediately calls for the protective instincts of your older siblings. This unique relationship we carry with them leaves us grateful, and at times a little bit frustrated, that we have our older siblings to catch our backs.
1. Nobody else understands your family better
It’s hard for your friends to sympathize with you through family drama when they haven’t truly experienced your family themselves. Your siblings, on the other hand, will completely understand when you say your family is totally crazy.
2. They ‘paved the way’ for you
The oldest sibling can often bear the brunt of strict parenting. Throughout high school, I was constantly reminded how lucky I was to be able to hang out with my friends on weekends without a curfew. While it’s surprising my parents let me roam wild on weekends without knowing what time I would be home, I can say with some certainty that my sister loosened their rules up for me beforehand.
3. You’ll always have somebody who will listen
Somewhere along growing up together, sharing the same roof, and seeing each other everyday, you and your brother/sister have pretty much been through it all. Even if you find yourselves bickering all the time, it’s nice to know that at the end of the day, they’ll always be there for you if you need them.
4. You can get overly competitive with each other
Everybody likes to win, siblings more than others. My sister and I have reveled in having a nicer phone, hammering a straighter nail, or being a better athlete than the other. In fact, I have tried numerous times to trick my parents into claiming I was their favourite child (which, unfortunately, has never worked).
5. People will always draw comparisons
Whether you’re the one making comparisons or a family friend, you and your sibling will constantly be compared to each other. People may differentiate you by where you went to school, your personalities, your grades, what sports you play, what clubs you’re in and other details. While not everyone will judge you right off the bat, it is certainly something you are aware of.
6. They may exclude you from their social life
This is completely understandable, but as a younger sibling you often get attached to the company of your older sibling. Sometimes you like to tag along with your siblings and hang out with their ‘cool’ older friends who think you’re adorable, and more often than not your older sibling gets annoyed and sends you home. But sometimes, just sometimes, you wonder what it would be like to just be their friend instead of family.
Images obtained from:
http://adoredee.com/2014/02/09/frozen-2013-do-you-want-to-build-a-snowman/
http://giphy.com/gifs/disney-sister-wZXb2uGZrEVfG
http://www.justmultiples.com/onesie-younger-cuter-older-wiser.html
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