Being born first comes with its perks!
Responsibility:
If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “watch out for your little brother/sister(s),” there’s a good chance you were born first.
Being a firstborn often meant you were responsible for making sure your siblings were fed, fitting in, and feared the consequences of disobeying you - a perfect way to understand the importance of responsibility.
Privileges:
Certain privileges came with being the oldest.
You hogged the bathroom all morning and by the weekend, you and your driver’s license tasted sweet teenage independence… unless your parents insisted you take your sibling(s) along for the ride.
Being Their Hero:
You took your rightful place as the coolest, most courageous hero younger siblings aspired to be.
With great power came a responsibility to set a good example for them. The pressure was on to get good grades, be in leadership positions, and reach a level of success the entire family would be proud of, especially those who followed.
Clowning The Weaker Ones:
You knew all of their weaknesses and insecurities, as well as how to exploit them. There was a lot of roughhousing, and prank pulling going on at all hours of the day and night. And you always had the upper hand!
Patience:
Best of all, being the oldest gave you patience. You gave them a hard time but life wouldn’t be the same without family to stick up for.