Being the oldest you’re expected to lead. You’re are expeted to care for the younger siblings you were gifted with. This can take alot becuase you have to make sure that you are supporting them, making sure they stay on the right track, helping them if they need it, and generally leading the way and guiding them along the troubles of life. In my case you also get a superiority complex and then you’re siblings remind you that you need to be more humble, compassionate, more giving not because they look to you. There are so many lesson I learn from my siblings for example:
- If you’re going to apologize mean it. If they don’t interpret it as an apology then you need to make your intentions clear.
- There are times when you will be sorely mistaken, accept a different perspective on an issue. You probably wouldn’t have thought of it precisely becuase you are in a leadership position.
- Be compassionate and understanding. Try to see things from the other side and approach situations in that manner. What works for you may not work for another. Force is not the way. Let the goal of improving a situation and relationship be the driver of the conversation.
- Don’t go back on your word. Your siblings will definitely call you out on it.
- Be mindful of your judgements and who/how you share them. This is a big one. As the oldest child you often put pressures on yourself that don’t need to be passed down.
- Don’t underestimate the amount of time and effort you’re going to have to put in to support your siblings along their chosen paths.
- Don’t talk yourself down, you do yourself a disservice when the people who look up to you have so much faith and certainty in your success