Being the Youngest


Being the youngest of four older brothers and one sister comes with many advantages and disadvantages. Learning from your older siblings mistakes, is one of the best and most rewarding advantages. As the youngest you are able to observe and understand the mistakes being made and the consequences that come with it. You learn the ropes and the buttons not to push.


Being born last means that your older siblings pave the way for you. As the sixth child I’ve been grateful to have my older siblings help me and offer me advice. They showed me the ropes to high school and when dealing with school work, my brothers and sister help me with what they remember. Although I do my best, it is easy for my parents to compare me to my siblings capabilities and achievements, making it difficult for me to exceed my parents expectations.

Although being the youngest may come off as an easy position there are also disadvantages. By the time that I entered into high school, all but one of my siblings left for college. It’s easy for people to expect me to follow in my siblings footsteps of academic and athletics achievements.

With being the youngest, many things are expected of you. For example, you are an easy target. Your siblings will take full advantage of the youngest child. I’ve been blamed for numerous things that I have not committed, but rather another sibling of mine has. Taking the blame for another sibling is one thing that I have gotten used to.
I’ve also had been mistaken for my sister Molly and sometimes my brothers, countless times so that now, when I’m called my sisters name I just smile as if I my name was Molly.

As all my other siblings left for college, there was one less kid in the house. This year my older sister, Molly, who I consider one of my closest siblings, left for college. This meant that I was the only one left in the house. Being raised with five older siblings, I’ve never been alone for longs periods of time with just my parents and I.

Through the years I’ve learned that gaining my parents trust has been important. Now that I don’t have a sibling around to watch out for me, my parents worry more than when my older brothers and sister were home.

Yes, the youngest do sometimes get special treatment in ways the older siblings don’t, but my parents have been equally as strict on me as they have been to my older brothers and sister. For example, asking money for gas may be easier for me than it was for my oldest brother, Andrew who had to pay for his own.

Despite many of minor disadvantages of being the youngest, I wouldn’t trade my position. I’ve learned from my siblings mistakes and from my own. Being the youngest comes with many advantages. Throughout my years of dealing with the teasing and older sibling picking, it’s shaped me into the person I am today.