Hey, first-borns! In case you forgot, here’s some reasons why younger siblings are actually awesome.
They are absolutely adorable
Nothing is cuter than babies, right? As an older sibling, you have access to children all the time. There’s the trying times of course; changing diapers and relentless crying are not the best, but then you get to experience the first smiles and laughs that melt your heart. You also get to become their personal stylist, dressing them in the cutest clothes you could convince your mom to buy at Gymboree. When my little brother was a couple months old, we dressed him in a yellow onesie, a yellow hat and a Chiquita sticker and made him a banana for Halloween. *cries tears of joy* Even when your younger siblings aren’t babies anymore, those little smiles and expressions stay with them as they grow, making them just as adorable as ever.
You get to watch them grow
My brother and I are four years apart, providing me with the perfect opportunity to watch him grow and learn. I heard him make his first sentences, practice writing his name for the first time and finally tackle how to tie a shoe. You see your younger siblings go through school, often in the same classes you were in, working through problems you had when you were their age. I remember that my brother had a tough time with pronunciation for the longest time. He would leave out syllables, saying “puter” instead of “computer” for example. It melted my heart, but now he’s thankfully learned and has a better grasp on the whole English language thing. He might be taller than me now, and his squeaky voice is long gone, but being an older sibling gave me the chance to be a pseudo parent; I got to see him grow and change for the better without actually being in charge of keeping him alive.
They come to you for advice
I’ll admit that I am no mathematician; AP Calculus still gives me the shivers. But when my little brother FaceTimes me asking for help with quadratic equations, I am more than willing to brush up my old math skills and help him. I love that he can turn to me for guidance, no matter what the topic is. As the oldest child in the family, I didn’t really have that option, but I feel a little more at ease knowing that I can be that aid to him. I’m a little excited for when we are older and he can ask me questions about careers, love, and just being an adult. I probably won’t have all the answers, but any older sibling knows that being there for younger siblings enhances your purpose in life.
They give you unconditional love
For me, the best part of being an older sister is the love that I give my brother and the love that I receive in return. I was Carson’s first friend. He didn’t get the chance to meet me first and decide if I was a worthwhile friend. I was just always around, and yet he loves me no matter what. We fight, sure, but what is extraordinary is that moments of rivalry and annoyance are followed by swelling feelings of fondness and happiness. I think we can both agree that we never had to decide to be each other’s best friend; the love has just always been there and always will be. What an amazing gift us older siblings have to be able to share a close bond with our younger siblings without fear of the friendship ever ceasing because we simply cannot pinpoint when it even began.
It’s so easy to forget how great little siblings actually are, especially when you’re at a college miles away from them. So older sisters and brothers, take a moment to reflect and appreciate those little nuisances. One of my greatest achievements yet, and probably one of the greatest in my lifetime, is being the sister that Carson can always count on, no matter the distance between us.
Photo credits: Courtney Weis