Being the youngest in the family means that you stay ‘forever young’! You are pampered, poked, prodded, experimented on, and sometimes even forgotten. But in spite of all the above, you are loved and cared for. There are many pros and cons of being the youngest in the family; but it’s a super-cool experience.
PROS OF BEING THE YOUNGEST KID
You and your elder sibling (or siblings) are partners in all the crimes. But if caught, you are off the hook as the elder one gets all the scolding. Even if you end up hurting your elder sibling after a fight, the blame lies squarely with him. So, the benefit of being the youngest sibling is, whatever be the matter, you are always innocent and safe.
You get the bigger share of cakes and chocolates. You can sleep with mom when your elder sibling has to stay up late preparing for his exam. You will be the last one to wake up in the family, and no one will even complain about it.
No one dares to mess with you at school if your elder sibling is studying in the same school as yours. If anyone tries to trouble you, you know whom to call. You will never be bullied as your SOS authority is always on the lookout. You won’t even get bored as you will always have someone to fall back on.
School assignments and projects might be a pain for your friends, but for you, it’s a handy task. All you need to do is, go to your elder brother/sister; and the job is done. Their help is not limited to academics only; you learn from their experiences and mistakes (you don’t repeat them again). At anytime in your life, if you need help or are in trouble, your elder sibling will always be there to bail you out.
When on one hand your elder sibling has to strive hard to get things, you get them easily. All you need to do is, use your ‘I-am-still-young’ card and the task is done. You don’t need to sweat over things that you want, you only have to shed tears ‘loudly’.
You litter the whole house and no one asks you to clean it up. You mess up the place, leaving it to be cleaned by someone else. You even get a pick and drop service to school. You live life without having to do the hard yards.
You will never fall short of money. You will always have a backup for your expenses. Even if your parents don’t pay for your college trips, your elder sibling will. You can even convince your parents easily for a sleepover with your friends with your elder sibling successfully pitching your case. If ever you get into a tricky or difficult situation, you have nothing to worry about as your savior will be there, by your side. Who knows, he may even give you valuable dating tips.
If you are the youngest daughter of the house and you have an elder brother(s), then you are nothing less than an angel or princess to your brother and father. You will be treated specially, and your wishes will be a priority to everyone. Your brother will always be on your side like a knight in the shining amour to help you overcome the hurdles in your path.
CONS OF BEING THE YOUNGEST KID
You are always a baby! Even if you grow up, you cannot take your own decisions. You are always too young to party or to go out with friends. You are always bombarded with tons of instructions. Your relatives will always be shocked to see you all grown up and will treat you like a toddler even if you grow six feet tall.
You have no comeback when your elder sibling says that your parents loved him for more years than they loved you. You are always considered less capable of doing important tasks around the house. You end up doing the menial tasks, those which no one in the house does. You have to listen to your elder brother or sister if they ask you run some errands. You are the errand kid of the family.
Your parents and your elder siblings will always talk about the incidents and memories that you have not witnessed. You feel left out when they talk about the times before you were born. You are never taken seriously, and your opinions go mostly unheard as they are considered naive and inexperienced.
At school, only your friends know you by your first name, while others recognize you as your elder sibling’s brother or sister. If, by any chance, you are not as good as your elder brother/sister in academics, then you will get tired of hearing about the comparison between the two of you, but your parents and teachers will never stop comparing. You are always be given examples of how your elder sibling handles certain situation and how much you need to improve.
Your elder bother is always more powerful than you. You are pinched, tickled, and bullied every now and then. If you are a boy and you have an elder brother, then you know how a power slam or a cross face feels like.
Your bookshelf and wardrobe is filled with hand-me-downs. May be you like T-shirts/tops of your brother/sister, but not necessarily all of them. You are always given less pocket-money than your elder sibling as you are always ‘too young’. You don’t get the new laptop, tab, or mobile phone. You always begin with the ones that your elder brother/sister have previously used.
The toughest job is being the youngest of three children. You are sandwiched in between if the older two fight. You become the messenger for both of them. You become the only mode of communication between the older quarreling siblings and believe me, it is pathetic situation to be in.
If you are the youngest daughter, then girl… you always have a pair of eyes on your every move. You can never go out with your friends secretly until and unless you are fully aware of where your elder brother or sister is. Your father and brother will always be very possessive about you.
Nothing comes without pros and cons; and so does being the youngest sibling. But when you view the larger picture, it’s fun to be young. You will always have one person other than your parents who will believe in you and will never leave your back.
