6 questions you are used to being asked if you have younger siblings

there's many pros and cons to growing up with younger siblings. from your younger sibling's perspective, you've got it all. you get to ride shotgun every time you get in the car, you get a later curfew and it just seems like you simply have more freedom to do as you please. but as the saying goes, to whom much is given much is required. and, if you want to receive all of the benefits that come along with being older than some (or all) of your siblings, you better be prepared to answer these questions at any given moment. 

6). where is your brother/sister?

if you are one of the oldest, you know that growing up, you had to know where your younger siblings were at all times.  we were the original "find my iphone"  before that was even a thing. and if you ever didn’t know where they were, you found out. it was either that or you had to deal with your parent(s) accusing you of being inept or something else that was otherwise belittling and most likely, rude.

5). what type of example are you setting?

being one of the eldest, you basically have kids. your younger siblings are your children. so with that, you’ve got to consider the type of “example” you’re setting for them based off the lifestyle you live, they said. it’s safe to assume that at this point, you may very well be used to living under a microscope because it seems like someone is always pressed about what you are doing, whether it's your parents or your sibling-kids. 

4). can you go pick up (insert sibling name) from (insert sibling location)?

not only are the older kids the original "find my iphone" for tracking their younger siblings, they are also the original uber and lyft drivers. think about it, when you got your permit, you thought you’d get the car more. and in most cases, you might have. but, with the car also came a list of stipulations from your parents, with one of them almost always involving those pesky younger siblings.  crazy thing is, mom and dad always knew how to pose things as a question, even though it wasn't up for debate. crazy, right?

3). did you take out the chicken like I asked you?

growing up, this is arguably one of your most important tasks as one of the eldest. if you aren’t already cooking meals yourself (most of us learned at like age 3 months), you better believe you’ve been delegated the task of “official chicken taken-outer”. if you’re like me, 98% of the time you forgot to take it out on time and had to bare the consequences of the chicken not being thawed out completely when your parents came home.

2). do I have to come to report card pickup, or can they give it to you?

as if taking out the chicken wasn’t enough of a hassle, being one of the eldest meant you may have found yourself picking up report cards on report card pick-up day. or, maybe that was just me. it was as though my teachers (and that of my younger siblings) had some sort of unspoken agreement with my mom; one that granted me permission to collect report cards so that she didn’t have to leave work early to get to our school. joy.

1). can I borrow some money?

as one of the eldest, your younger siblings may think you are an atm (automatically their money). you’ve made a name for yourself as one of their protectors and someone who legitimately has their best interest at heart.  in doing so, they’ve gotten comfortable (and maybe a little too comfortable) with asking you for money to purchase things that they “need” (or don’t need, but really want). it’s usually the latter of the two.