The Unwritten Rules of Being the Youngest

Sibling!, a photo by Gus Dahlberg on Flickr.

I'm pretty sure that is how my siblings felt when they found out they were having a baby brother. There a are a couple of rules that siblings and parents use on the youngest kid.

The older ones get to pick on you. They know you are smaller than them so they can control you. When I was younger I always believed what my brother said. He told me some really dumb stuff but I guess he had that kind of authority and face that made me believe him. One of my sisters is really bossy and she is always bossing me around. A lot of times I listen to her but lately I have been resisting. Now she bribes me with money. They also beat you up and give you noogies. They tickle and beat me up so I am screaming and laughing at the same time. The others just sit and watch.

Your siblings always tell you how easy you have had it. They tell you how they didn't have cellphones when they were growing up. They tell you stories of how mom would make them eat stuff they didn't like such as chicken soup and chow mein. They also tell you that she made you eat all your vegetables. They say that they couldn't watch all those TV shows when they were my age.

You are supposedly the spoiled one. Maybe its because your parents already have kids so they know what not to do. Maybe your siblings say that because they don't like that you are now in the limelight. Maybe because you are the last kid and they don't want you to grow up. They aren't ready for the last kid to grow up.

It kind of sucks to be last one.