10 x things you recognize when you are the youngest at home

Being the youngest in the family has never felt like something annoying to me. On the contrary, there are quite a few advantages to it. I have a brother who is three years older and a sister who is six years older, which I have been very lucky with. Did they think of me as a little spoiled brat when I was younger? Undoubtedly. As the youngest, you are quite pampered, and that just makes you annoying and irritating. Fortunately, we are now very close to each other, so it all turned out well.

Here are a few points that all youngest chicks will surely recognize.

1. You are and will always be the youngest
As the youngest in the family, you will never really get rid of the title ‘little one’. No matter how old you are, you will always remain the baby of the family; that position is just yours. It makes little sense to resist that.

2. You were allowed to come home late
This was, of course, an absolute plus. My older brother and sister had to fight for their curfews, while these were just given to me as I approached sixteen. As the youngest, the path has already been partially cleared for you, so I had nothing to complain about. And worse: when my sister got her driver's license, she regularly had the task from my parents to pick me up from parties.

3. You are protected
This doesn't really apply anymore now, but I benefited a lot from it in the past. For example, if I had a fight with my brother, I really got the benefit of the doubt as the poor little (and crying) sister. Quite unfair actually, but that's just the risk of the job.

4. You are a bit of a go-getter
If your older brother and sister are doing well, you want to strive for that too; after all, they are your great examples. For instance, I really wanted to go to the same high school and had to get the same vwo advice. You also assume that your parents have certain expectations of you because your predecessors did the same. Being the youngest is therefore also good for your perseverance.

5. You are sneakier
Well, those mistakes your brother and sister made, you are definitely not going to make anymore. As the youngest, you approach everything much smarter. And if you've seen scenes that were successful? Then you naturally adopt these, like the ultimate escape trick or other sneaky practices.

6. You speak loudly
This is not necessarily a very pleasant trait, but as the youngest, you just want to be heard. Sometimes it is simply necessary to raise your voice so that you can get a word in. Unfortunately, I have never been able to unlearn this.

7. You are always compared to your older brother or sister
‘You talk just like your sister’ or ‘You have the same look as your brother’; you resemble them, and they do not resemble you. That is also being the youngest; you are the little sister of, more of a copy than an individual. I don't really have a problem with this; I often find it nice to hear.

8. You know just a bit more
Having an older brother and sister means you have just a bit more knowledge about certain things. For example, thanks to my sister, I know songs by the Backstreet Boys and other pop stars that people my age don't know or care about. And the advantage of having a big brother: I was allowed to watch all 16+ horror movies when I was twelve. Yes, I thought that was quite something. As the youngest, you are simply more aware of everything; I certainly saw that as a plus.

9. You are now appreciated
Where I used to be that annoying little sister (who had to be everywhere), I am now appreciated by my brother and sister. I think this is a recognizable point for many people: the older you get, the better you get along with your brothers and/or sisters.

10. You have older friends
Having an older brother and sister means you come into contact with ‘older’ people, and you yourself may also mature a bit faster. I certainly notice that I have quite a few friends around me who are much older than I am.