Every aspect of life has pros and cons. When it comes to older, middle, and younger siblings, that is no different. I have experienced many pros to being the youngest sibling, and think it’s the best position in any family available.

As the younger sibling, I have always had someone to look up to. My older sister Grace has never failed to be a cool woman, and I have never not had a large amount of respect for her. She has helped me decide what I want to do with my life. Additionally, my older brother Sam has very good morals. I have always been able to ask him what he would do in certain situations and get meaningful responses. They both have shaped me to be a better person. Older siblings don’t have that opportunity, so it’s a plus that only younger siblings are eligible.

Since I am the youngest sibling, I am also the most protected sibling. I know that I always have my older siblings ready to have my back. This has been useful when I used to get picked on. My siblings were always there to make the kid who was teasing me stop. That made me feel loved beyond measure, knowing that they truly cared about me.

The biggest plus to being the youngest sibling is that your siblings have experienced most of the difficult, tedious things in life. For example, my siblings have both already gone through college. When it comes time for me to go through the process of applying to college, I will have two family members who have recently gone through the process themselves who can help me. I am very grateful for that, and this is only a plus that younger siblings benefit from.

Also, being the younger sibling, I have gotten hand-me-downs in lots of forms. Clothes are the main thing handed down, but I’ve also gotten shoes, makeup products, and sports equipment. I know that most people don’t like hand-me-downs, but I really enjoy them. This is because they make life easier for me. I don’t have to go out and shop for little things, because I already have them. I don’t enjoy shopping, so it comes in handy not having to go shopping. Plus, it helps me save money which I am all for.

Though the experiences of being a younger sibling differ from being an older sibling, I am very grateful to have my siblings to learn from for life. Being the youngest sibling also comes with many fun perks, so I think it is the best position in the sibling order.

Not all situations are the same for everyone, especially for older, middle, and younger siblings. There are many reasons why being the older sibling is better, and I experience them every day with my younger sister. There are many different things I get to do and perks since I am the older sibling. 

As an older sibling, you mostly get new things and don’t get hand-me-downs. The biggest example of this would be clothes. I have never received hand-me-down clothes since I am the oldest sibling. My younger sister has collected a ton of used things from me, and I know she may not like it some of the time. It shows to her that she is younger, and therefore has to receive things from me before getting them brand-new from a store. 

I like being the older sibling because usually, you have to be the role model for the younger sibling. Every day my sister sees everything I do and wants to do the same. Even the small things, like overreacting, will affect her. There are many times she would copy exactly what I do, which can be good and bad. A lot of times it makes me frustrated, but it just shows how she looks up to me and sees me as a role model for her, which I really like.  

There are many times when the things I say influence my sister greatly. This ties back to being the role model and how she looks up to me. The older sibling usually has more control and can get the younger one to do things for them. A lot of times, when my sister was younger, I told her to get me something I was too lazy to get, and I’d pay her a dollar or two. Now that she is older, it doesn’t work as much since she knows what I am doing, but overall I have been able to get her to do things for me. 

Another reason why I think being the oldest sibling is better is because you have more freedom. Parents may not know what is good and bad until you try it. For example, in terms of screen time, I watched much more TV than my sister because my parents didn’t realize how much was too much. 

I love being the oldest because there are many things I get to do that a younger sibling wouldn’t, and I am very happy to be the leader for her.