Pros and Cons of Being the Oldest Child

Being the oldest child has a lot of perks, but it also has a lot of downfalls. Having conversations with my friends who aren't the oldest don't seem to quite grasp what being the oldest child means. Here is my take on what being the oldest means.

Pros:

• You get ALL the new clothing! You have no one older than you to get hand-me-downs from.
• You get to embarrass them from memories of them being younger. You seriously remember most everything and they hate you for it.
• You get to help be the leader/teacher. Most older siblings tend to have more leadership skills and trust me, it's in the oldest's blood to be a bit more bossy.
• You have someone to blame things on. I got in trouble by myself for three years before my sister showed up. They always think the youngest at the time is always the angel so they deserve some of the blame too.
• You get to watch them grow. I love thinking back to when my brother and sister were cute little toddlers and when they used to be nice and super cute with all that adorable baby fat. My youngest sibling is now a freshman in high school and I still picture him as a two-year-old carrying around his Blue's Clue's notebook.
• They look up to you. It's a nice feeling to know that they will, do, or have looked up to you.

Cons:

• You automatically get blamed for everything. I don't know if this is true in every household, but every other oldest child I've asked will say the same thing. Parents go out and house isn't clean when they get back, they blame the oldest. You aren't just accountable for your actions while they're gone, but your siblings as well. Even if they are old enough to stay home by themselves. It's still your fault.
• You have to be more responsible. This one goes hand-in-hand with the "blamed for everything" one. The oldest is automatically presumed to be more responsible and because there's that pressure to be more responsible since your the oldest, it can get pretty stressful.
• They look up to you. This one has it's cons too. Knowing that someone is looking up to you is a lot of pressure. They are pretty much your shadow, so one mistake could cost them as well as yourself.

So there you have it. I love being the oldest, but at the same time, it's one of the most stressful positions you will ever be in. Are you the oldest? Youngest? Middle child? Let me know!

Much love, laughter, and happiness,

           Kristina

Graduating and such..

As of May 20, 2012, I am officially out of high school. It's the best and possibly one of the scariest things ever. Graduating high schools means a few things; I'm done with one chapter in my life, and can start another, but it also means it's time to grow up. Like Peter Pan, I don't know if i'm ready to grow up just yet. I don't know if I'm ready to leave everyone. I've gone to school with most of these kids since pre-school, and next fall, most of them will be gone. As much as I didn't agree with a lot of them, I'll miss them a lot. Don't you remember being in elementary school and think, "Gee, I can't wait till I'm all grown up!" Little did we know what we'd have to go through and how scary it would be when it actually got here. Being little, we didn't think about all the hard work, drama, happiness, pain, or awkward moments leading up to graduation day. I am guessing I speak for most when I say I'll be missing the luxury of home, at least a little. I mean come on. Not always having to pay for things, seeing your friends whenever, givin' some love to the animals, using your own shower, blah blah blah. Most people are going away for college so therefore, parents won't be easily accessible. For a select few, their parents are their best friends, so college will be extra difficult... Poor souls. Personally, college is what I need right now. Some time off to mend relationships with my family, and some time for those relationships to keep growing. Growing up and leaving is scary, but I know it's something I need to do. Graduating high school took a long time. Don't forget the people and the memories. And most importantly, do what's best for you and don't forget the important people at home. Here's to the Class of 2012! Good luck guys!

P.S. Sorry for the randomness of sentences and such of this blog. I had a lot to fit in and didn't want to write a novel.