Sometimes I “complain” about my younger siblings (toddlers 6 - 8) to someone who DOESN’T EVEN HAVE YOUNGER SIBLINGS or HAS NEVER EXPERIENCED IT and then they proceed to try and defend them by saying “oh he’s just a kid” or “he’s still little” like thats supposed to make it right or something. Sorry (not sorry), but you don’t fucking have to deal with it every. single. day. And you don’t, and never did, have any younger siblings. And moral of the story, you don’t know what its like to have to deal with siblings younger than you. Yeah, you may have someone older than you. Sorry, but thats not the same thing. I’d rather have that. So please, if it doesn’t apply to you, stfu.

Im 16. I love my siblings dearly, don’t get me wrong. And if something were to happen to them, I would probably never appear out in public again, and kill myself. But with good stuff, comes the bad stuff.

My siblings are always constantly yelling and yelling, you know, like how kids normally do. And i’ve grown to not really think of it much, since i’ve literally dealt with it every day if my life. This however, as a cause, has alot of affects. For this reason alone I cant even have friends over, or much worse a girl. For they embarrass me with their chaotic yelling and their dumb sporadic noises (which tbh, i dont mind. I can just go to someone else’s house whenever i want to). But the real problem lies when im trying to take or attend an online class, or play video games. I take online classes because of covid, and I literally have to hope and pray that when i get called on, that a scream doesn’t interrupt. Yeah it was funny at first, but the old rule goes; things are not funny after the millionth time. It’s embarrassing.

I’m also a big gamer. ‘Been playing video games my whole life. And I love it. And almost every night I go in a voice chat with friends, to talk while we play. However, I always have to stay worried about my mute button. Having to have a grip on it because at any second my siblings could let out a scream or say something with my friends listening in the party. It has already happened countless times, and i’ve been laughed at and made fun of for it. Im the only one out of all my friends that has younger siblings. Shit like “who’s getting killed in the back?” “who am i hearing getting executed right now?”. Yeah, it was funny but now its just embarrassing. I don’t have anywhere else to settle either. My room is the only place i have.

Have I mentioned that they consume and sacrifice alot of my time and savings as if I were a parent as well? They have alot of trouble in school (elementary). And Its always up to me to make sure that they are caught up with everything and that they do their homework right. It takes so much of time. I’m studying to become a computer engineer. And its actually something im interested in. So I spend alot of time just on my computer practicing my coding skills, which i cant lie, is a timely hobby. I can normally never get passed 20 mins to myself without having to go help out with my siblings. And its literally noticeable - how behind i actually am on knowledge than colleagues because of this. I also clean up after them. Everything. From their food, to their crayons, to their toys, to their playdough. Its always up to Me to clean up their mess.

Enough of me ranting about stupid shit, this is where i really dont even know what to do at this point.

I feel like I dont get as much attention siblings. And yes i know im significantly older than them, and they get more babied than i do. but im not talking about that. I’m quite literally talking about jus being listened to. Getting attention. The little things. I always feel like im talking to a wall whenever i talk to my mom. She is so easily distracted by my siblings whenever they walk in the room. And all her attention goes towards them. They could be doing literally nothing.

My mom regularly brings food back from work. She brings back like mcdonald meals or even canes, etc. Not once though, has that food been for me. She always walks in with a couple bags in her hands, me hoping it would be something nice like a burger for me because im starving, but its always just 2 kids meals. And “there’s cereal” for me.

As small as they can be, my siblings have all the power they can have as well. At any point in time they can lie about me hitting them, or making them cry and such. And they will always be believed. Typical younger brother - older brother interaction. Been grounded or scolded multiple times for things I didnt do.

I also feel like my mom doesnt take me as serious. My mom had my younger brother when I was 9, and I went from child to adolescent as my brother went from baby to baby. And i think she has the mindset engraved into her skull. She did not experience a boy making a more serious change, she experienced having a kid all over again. And sometimes I get the same responses or punishments as my siblings do, like im 6 years old or something.

These are only some of the many things I have to deal with as a big brother.

So please, if you’re not an older sibling, stfu. You don’t know what its like having a baby brother or sister, and you don’t know what it’s like to look after them. Doesn’t matter if “they’re still young” or if “they’re still kids”. I KNOW what they know, and I KNOW what they can or can’t do. I KNOW what they do on purpose and what they don’t. I get to complain about them whatever and whenever I feel like it. Been dealing with it my entire life… its not a burden, but definitely something you sometimes wish you didn’t have to deal with.