The Pros of Having Younger Siblings

Lasting.silhouette not only likes her younger siblings, but she's also using them to make money! W00T!—Sparkitors

This article is in response to the Sparkler post The Pros of Having Older Siblings because I felt I needed to give a voice to all us older siblings out there. Being the oldest, I am held responsible for many of my younger siblings' actions. Should my younger brother decide to repaint his room with his new purple toothpaste because "it looks super awesome," I am at fault. And I must always be there to watch him, because it is always in the realm of possibility that he would tie our dog's leash to a faucet, have the dog accidentally turn the sink on, and flood the room with water (I kid you not, this actually happened). However, younger siblings seem to have this fantasy of how being older has its perks, and I am here to tell you: it does! Because of you guys, us older kids get to have a little bit of fun.

1. You have an adorable little sales person. I am quite the entrepreneur, and over the hot summer days there is no better way to make some quick cash than to sell lemonade at your local golf course. Dress up your sibling as the cutest child on the block, even though under that facade there is a little red dragon with a donut-hurling BB gun, and let them work their magic! Have them interact with the customers and start some small talk, and I'm sure within minutes your little monster will have them wrapped around their little finger. Then have them ask "You want my big sissy's lemmy naid?" and you'll have thousands of dollars in no time (results may vary).

2. You have a personal assistant. Whether you've realized it or not, your little siblings are always ready to earn a little cash. Be sure to take advantage by offering them a way to earn some! You could have them give you a massage, go fetch you some food, feed your pet unicorn, even retrieve that phoenix feather you've been searching for to finish your hand-carved wand. Either way, as long as you have a couple quarters laying around, you have yourself a fantastic little helper!

3. Hand-me-downs. Whether you are the one giving them the clothes, or they are getting rid of some unwanted attire, you can strongly benefit. Have you ever gone looking for a shirt you had years back that is finally in style, only to discover you've given it away? Well, with little siblings, those shirts usually end up in your house! Just sneak into your siblings' room while they are sleeping; they don't need to know you have reclaimed what is rightfully yours!  Not only that, but at least you have the benefit of avoiding any unwanted hand-me-downs because there's no one there to hand them down to you!

4. Fashion advice. I hate to say it, but my younger sibling (2 years younger) is *shiver* cool. I think all of us Sparklers and Manklers would agree, nerds are easily the awesomest, most ninja people on the planet. Still, it's really nice to have somebody there to tell me that my ensemble of ferret socks, three layers of various shades of tights, feathered hat, and an I <3 Hotdogs!! t-shirt is not the best way to go (even if I usually ignore the advice).

5. You've got to love them. Despite their advanced levels of annoying and torture, they are family, and no matter how much they annoy you, you still love them.

What do you think of your younger siblings? Awesome or abominable?

Related Post: The Pros of Having Older Siblings