Oldest vs. Youngest?

Question

What are some pros and cons of being the oldest child vs. being the youngest child?

Answer 1

the oldest gets to do whatever he/she wants , has to set a good example for siblings, in charge of everything, gets the blame

the youngest is spoiled, most taken care of [ sometimes ], parents listen to youngest

Answer 2

I'm the youngest of my mothers 5 children, and the 2nd oldest of my fathers 7.

Being the baby sucks. I rarely ever got new clothing, well being 19 I get to buy some my own. I still get a lot of their old ones. I was babied for the first 4 years, after that it was over. I not only do I have 1 mother to deal with, I have 3 older sisters that each have their views and rules for me. Another thing that I notice is that my mother often compares me to older sisters. One thats very successful, and she expects me to be exactly like her. Which is difficult because we're nothing a like. My sisters assume I'm going to be into drugs, drinking and partying because when they were my age they did them things. So they were extremely strict. I suppose its a good thing I never got into the negative things. I also missed out on a lot, I never got to make my own mistakes. Just taught to learn by the mistakes of others.

Being the 2nd oldest I'm often more "spoiled" by my father. He does a lot for me. He doesn't consider my older brother the oldest. Maybe because he's a lot more immature. So, Basically I take the oldest child role with him. I have a new baby brother thats a month old. I love being able to take care of him as well as my other baby brother thats over a year old now. So, I get a lot of experience caring for babies. Trying to set a positive example for my younger siblings which I love. I often hear myself saying the same things my older sisters said to me. I try not to be as strict with my younger sister as they were with me. I just try to be understanding and give her a lot of trust.

So, I dislike being the youngest of my mothers 5 children. So many rules all through my childhood and teen years. Now, I'm extremely confused about which views, beliefs, dreams and wishes are mine, or which ones are the one embedded in my head by my sisters.

Hope that helps.

-.-'

Answer 3

oldest pros:

1. get to do more
2. get drivers license sooner
3. get to graduate sooner
4. the first to do everything
cons:

1. more responsibility
2. going to college sooner
3. having to take younger siblings places
4. jobs

youngest pros:
1. not responsible for own actions.
2. can get by with aggravating older sibling
3. can easily blame older sibling for something
4. youngest can learn from oldest mistakes

cons
1. treated like a baby
2. no responsibility
3. hard time being independent
4. gets tormented by oldest
5. always the last to do anything

Answer 4

pros oldest:newer clothing, parents trust them the most with things, get to leave the nest sooner, wiser, have more privileges, later curfew.
cons oldest:will probably be stuck doing the most chores, has to be the "bigger person" when they get in fights with the younger siblings, has to babysit, parents have higher expectations.

pros youngest: spoiled, don't have to do many chores.
cons: can't do anything, wears hand me downs, more rules, curfew is earlier

Answer 5

I am the youngest and I was always babied by my sisters I am still being babied.

Answer 6

I am the oldest child and it SUCKS! I always have to "know better." When I was my brother's age I still had to know better. So I'm 14 now and he's 12 and he "doesn't know better" while when I was his age I had to "know better." It sucks.

Answer 7

the oldest get nagged at alot for dumb crap...but the oldes also get to do more sutff.

the younges is the baby, so they get away with any thing...but they cant do what they want to do cause no parent wants to watch theie baby grow up.

Answer 8

youngest one will look up to you as they get older, youngest ones need to be shown by older one how to do things,older one supposedly has more responsibilities. youngest one is usually told they are too young to do things.

Answer 9

U get To pick on your Younger brother or sister.