Baby of the Bunch
The position of being the youngest child in the family can be the greatest get out of jail free card or cast you into a world full of retribution for sins of your older siblings. Crying is your ticket out of trouble. Being younger, you cry to get your way or to get what you want. It is easier to break things and blame it on your older siblings. Being the baby, you don’t have as much responsibility as your older sibling. You do not have to babysit when your parents go out.
The greatest advantage of being the baby of the bunch is you always have an older sibling that will have your back and help you with things. If someone is bullying you, then you don’t have to worry about not having someone that will stick up for you.
The most depressing part of being the youngest child is that you have to live in your older sibling’s shadow. Unless you’re the angel child, you have to compete to be as good or better than your older sibling. “My least favorite thing is that my older siblings set the standards high,” Cody Conrady, freshman, said.
Telling your parents you’re going to the bathroom at Walmart isn’t going to prevent them from forgetting about you and leaving. You get overlooked and ignored. You have never experienced the front seat of a car. Being the youngest you are often underestimated. Never does it occur to your parents that you are capable of anything.
The greatest disadvantage of being the younger sibling you don’t get the brand new stuff. You get hand-me-downs from your older siblings. The only time you get new clothes is if it’s your birthday or a special holiday.
“My brother Reed has held my head to a ceiling fan,” Brooks Martin, freshman, said. Being the youngest you always get picked on by your older siblings.
“My least favorite thing is that I get beat up all the time,” Seth Bromlow, freshman, said. (Editor’s Note: Seth Bromlow’s siblings are girls.)
A privilege of being the younger sibling is that most of the rules do not apply to you. When you break the rules you get let off easy or do not get into trouble at all. “The rules are less strict on me,” Kenidi Humbargar, freshman, said.
Having the burden of being the youngest sibling is both the most terrifying and amazing experience.
