If you ask me what I think of my younger siblings, my answer will probably be different on any given day. On one hand, what’s not to love about being the oldest? You can pawn off chores on your younger siblings using a bit of trickery or bribery, you have a built-in accomplice (or scape-goat depending on your needs that day) and you have someone who looks up to you and is constantly impressed with your superior knowledge of the world. Then again, the moment you became an older sibling, the world stopped revolving around you. You had to learn to share both your toys and your parents’ attention. If you’re anything like me and my siblings, you fought like crazy growing up, and for every time they were your accomplice in something, they were a narc for something else. You love them—of course! — but sometimes you find yourself wishing you could remember what it was like to be an only child again. So, without further ado, here are seven things all oldest siblings know to be true.
1. Somehow your parents decided you’d make a great babysitter.
You don’t remember exactly when it happened. One day, you were excited that your parents trusted you enough to hold your new baby brother or sister and the next, you were stuck inside watching them while your friends all got to go to the movies. Tragic.
2. If you have multiple younger siblings, you probably weren’t too thrilled about the second one.
I think Trey sums this one up really nicely. If you didn’t try to throw out your younger sibling or get rid of them somehow, did you even have them?
3. None of your favorite snacks are ever safe.
You would get so excited to come home from school, sit down in front of the television to your favorite shows and munch on your favorite snack. You’d open your favorite snack…
4. Speaking of TV… being subjected to Barney and Blue’s Clues over and over again had you bordering on temporary insanity.
“I love you. You love me. We’re a happy family…” still haunts you in a sort of comforting way as you wonder what kids will watch if they can’t watch Barney anymore. Also, don’t even lie: you were heartbroken when Steve left Blue’s Clues and Joe took over because the actor who played Steve was going bald (yes, it’s true!).
5. Catching your sibling doing something bad was great because you could use it as leverage.
Umm… sometimes that worked the other way around too…
6. Fighting amongst yourselves became one of your favorite past times.
Honestly, sometimes, you don’t even know what you’re fighting about, but at least it’s something to do. Also, as the oldest, don’t we have a quota to meet when it comes to fights we’ve started? Besides, if your parents are anything like mine, they get suspicious when we’re getting along too well, or tell us to pipe down when we’re actually having a good time together. Fighting is the best way we know how to say “I love you” to one another.
7. You really do care about your siblings.
Even through the constant fighting, exclaiming to your friends, “Oh my gosh, they’re so annoying!” and rolling your eyes every time your parents told you that you had to stay home to babysit, you really do care about your siblings. After all, they’re the only ones who know what its like to live with your family, and they’re your built-in best friends if you let them be.