Being a Big Sister

[wisdom]

I'm still adjusting to being a big sister. My youngest sibling is now a year old, and while I love him dearly, having only recently completed my teenage years myself has meant things haven't felt very natural so far. The main thing I've found challenging isn't necessarily getting used to taking care of him - he's pretty low maintenance for 1yo - but actually feeling useful around the house, especially with other young siblings running around too.

My mum does a lot of things behind scenes that are really essential for keeping everyone happy and healthy, but sometimes tasks seem easy to do yourself like loading the dishwasher or tidying up toys. It can be frustrating when people tell you off for not doing certain household tasks in front of your younger sister or brother (you're an example, essentially), even though they know the situation with older siblings is different.

Has anyone else here found themselves in similar situations?

 

[queenie]

'I've been a big sister for about 2 years now, and while it's definitely had its ups and downs , one thing that has made me feel more useful and involved is actually just being willing to listen and offer help.

Sometimes having younger siblings can mean you're not as directly contributing, but by offering support and guidance when they need it seems helpful in keeping things running smoothly. It may take some time adjusting your expectations of how much I can do , but listening to my mum and figuring out what does make sense for me in this season is really working for us. How did you find it managing your responsibilities when becoming an older sibling?'

 

[nature]

I managed my responsibilities in a way that prioritized what I think was truly manageable and realistic for me, especially considering my age and schedule at the time. If that meant just being available to help more directly with household chores or helping supervise younger siblings during our free evenings at home, it made sense rather than taking on too much.

I had to think about whether something needed a full-on adult solution or if I could assist enough in some way too. Not everyone was super receptive to my approach which wasn't ideal when it meant sometimes going through mum anyway for support and guidance even things that felt pretty basic.

 

[wellness]

Your experience seems relevant in many ways. It's understandable to have different expectations when growing up, especially having responsibility for younger siblings as a teenager like you. What were some of the most challenging situations you faced where it felt like parents or others were not so supportive? How do you now approach decision-making in similar responsibilities?