I was born at 3:55pm on December 12, 1998. My twin sister was born at 4:00pm on December 12, 1998, which makes me the oldest! There are a bunch of great things about being an older sibling: getting to stay up later, getting to drive a car first and celebrating your birthday first, for example, but there are some not so great things as well.
- Being Put “In Charge”
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As soon as our two younger siblings were born, my twin sister and I were automatically deemed our mom’s personal helpers. We were changing diapers by the age of six and were entrusted with the care of our siblings on a daily basis. Don’t get me wrong–playing with your siblings is fun! But it’s a lot less fun when it’s required.
- Becoming A Chauffeur
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Apparently, it is a rule that as soon as the older sibling turns 16 and gets their license, the mother no longer knows how to drive.
- “You’re Older”
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This phrase still brings back memories for me about losing disagreements with my siblings that I clearly should have won! I’m sure every older sibling can remember a time when–despite the fact that their younger sibling hit them first–they had to be the bigger person.
- Test Subject
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As older siblings, we don’t have anyone to pave the way for us on our journey to adulthood. From our “first day of school” outfit to our first college party, we have to figure it out all on our own.
- Becoming a Third Parent
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It seems that as the years go by, parents get more and more lenient with each new child. Therefore, the responsibility usually falls on the oldest siblings to take charge, whip their younger siblings into shape and remind the parents that bedtime is at ten and that you’re not supposed to have a cell phone before sixth grade.
Despite all of these annoyances, nothing is better than having the opportunity to pave the way for our little siblings. We were born to be role models and it’s an honor to fill that position for them each and every day. I love my little siblings and I wouldn’t trade the opportunity to be their big sister for anything in the world.
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