There is no doubt being an older sibling is superior to being a younger sibling. As the oldest daughter of six siblings, I can attest to this. My youngest sibling is 9, and it’s safe to say that when I compare the two of us and our lifestyles, I’m more than happy with the outcome. Older siblings get to do so much more in comparison to the younger sibling and it’s a well-known fact, at least in my family. I hear constant complaints from my younger siblings about things such as how I don’t go to bed early, am constantly hanging out with friends and get to have my own room, which has been so wonderful considering there are nine people total in my house.

I’m not saying being an older sibling is perfect by any means. It can be frustrating watching my parents go easier on my little siblings as time goes on when I’ve continued to get the short end of the stick, but the pros outweigh the cons. Sure, I have to pay for my own car, gas and insurance, when most likely my little siblings won’t have to because they’ll get a hand-me-down, but I get more freedom right now than them which is amazing. Even though I’m slowly destroying my bank account, at least I get to go out late instead of having a bedtime of 8:30 p.m.

Another great thing about being the older sibling is the fact that I get to be the family “guinea pig.” Most people would consider that phrasing to be bad, but I have an opposite take. I think it’s great considering I get to experience new things before any of my other siblings. I still remember the day I got my drivers license and my younger siblings realized I held their freedom in my hands. If they wanted to grab food, go hang out with friends or anything else that involved leaving the house when my parents didn’t want to take them, I was their go-to person. They realized they would need to start being nicer to me in order to get what they wanted from me.

In conclusion, although being a younger sibling may grant special circumstances of being more carefree and having less responsibility, being an older sibling holds such greater positives. I get to have more control over my life while learning important skills that will serve me well as I head off to college and start my independent life.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Caroline Just at [email protected].