5 Perks of Being the Youngest Child

You can get away with more. Even when you’re the one to blame for something, it is your older siblings who always get the blame. Say, you’ve broken a vase. Will your parents yell at you? Probably not. They will say that it’s your older siblings’ fault leaving their hyperactive younger brother/sister alone with a breakable vase.

You get to hang out with older kids. Even if your older siblings aren’t particularly thrilled about you hanging out with them and their friends, sometimes there is simply no choice because they have to babysit you. Or because you’re always around when they invite their friends over and it’s not easy to get rid of you. Be that as it may, your peers probably envy you because some of the older kids know who you are.

You learn from your siblings’ mistakes and experiences. As you grow up, you see your older siblings go through things you will go through in a couple of years. Getting settled in middle school, then in high school. Falling in love and getting their first boyfriend or girlfriend interrogated by your parents. Freaking out about finding a prom date. Taking exams and choosing college. If you observe carefully, you’ll be able to avoid some of your siblings’ mistakes. (Although you’ll still make a fair share of your own).

You have less restrictions. Most parents tend to be stricter with their first child because they haven’t figured the whole parenting thing out quite yet. But now they understand that some of the rules they imposed were an overkill, so you don’t have to follow them. Having gone through all the hard stuff with your older siblings, your parents are much more chill with you. You also enjoy more freedom because your older siblings keep an eye on you and can protect you if necessary.

Your older siblings are always there for you. No matter how much they bitch about getting stuck with their annoying little brother or sister, they really love you. Older siblings help you get settled in high school and give you all the deets on surviving it, protect your from bullies, help you with homework, give you a ride because you’re too young to drive, introduce you to cool stuff, And don’t forget about hand-me-downs! Despite all the bickering and sibling rivalry, your siblings are your friends who will always have your back.