What’s are the down sides of being the youngest member in a family?

13 comments

1. Don’t get to spend as much time with grandparents and parents as the older children do in the grand scheme of life.

2. I can only speak of my experience. And note that there were lots of benefits, too.

   But…

   Hand-me-down clothes and toys and things. The first bicycle I owned that was new was the one I bought myself at 22 years old.

   The parents are just fucking done. Like, sick of it. They have seen it all, done it all, a last kid is the final product out of the factory. Dad didn’t even pretend to enjoy band concerts (he did still go!) and the cotton Santa art went up on the fridge for maybe a week at best. Major child achievements that were celebrated for older kids like graduation from middle school or good grades just were not a big deal. Everyone else got better allowance. The Tooth Fairy was pretty sloppy. Everyone still talked about that awesome dog we used to have that I never knew. It’s like they all had a bunch of shared experiences and I was late to the party. My grandparents were OLD. Like, they died of old, old age while I was still in my teens. I barely knew them.

3. You get the last say on everything. For example if there’s 4 of something going from best to worse, you bet your ass you’re going to be stuck with the worse

4. Getting my older sister’s bras as hand me downs, I’m a guy.

5. Down sides, younger one is loved the most.

6. When my family went to the casino, i’m trapped outside in the car waiting to go home. Till i turned 18. I am spoiled…i get everything i wanted, i’ve never faced rejection before, when it does happen i’ll likely take it pretty hard.

7. I’m the youngest of 9. I’m 55 now and I’m still viewed the same as when I was in my 20s. Not takin seriously or really listened to. BTW I have a great job and my home is paid off and I have ZERO debt. Half my siblings live beyond their means and are in debt. So my life experience isn’t worth shit to them because I’m younger.

8. I am the youngest of 3. And probably the only real down side that I remember is that I was somewhat of a servant to my older brothers. The rest was in my opinion not a down really or at least it never felt that way to me.

9. I’m the youngest of 4 and am 42 now and they still protect me from hard truths. For example, I never knew that my parents were unhappy until my dad left my mom. Even now, my sister hides the fact that she wants to move from the city that we all live in but will tell everyone else, including my gf. I appreciate that they won’t talk shit about my dad to me but I just want to be included in the full conversation like the rest of the family. Otherwise being the youngest is the best!

10. A combination of having olderparents who were the youngest and their friends being older. This meant when I went places there was nobody of my peer group or even close. My family has 8 kids who are 5 years apart. I can picture them all years later at a pub or restuarant reminicing about me and my family.

    I am often asked by my mom,aunts,cousins. Do you remember these people. I slightly know the names but I was too young.

11. I’m the youngest of two, and my sister thought I was liked best. I learned early on to pay attention to how my sister got in trouble. I just didn’t do what she did. So I got some privileges she never did. Which made her mad at me. Her hate of me finally came out, I don’t even know what state she lives in. I haven’t seen her since 1988.

    So, I now longer care if she’s alive or dead.

12. The worst thing is that you will probably outlive your entire family. You will see each get older, and sicker and die. Then you will be all alone, until you too pass away.

    The little fights you have, I had 50 years ago with my Sister. We grew up and those things didn’t matter. We would talk for hours on the phone.
    She passed away 8 years ago and I miss her every day.

    These arguments you have now, try not to let them bother you.
    She is your sister.

13. You get treated as such. Currently I’m 16 the youngest in my family, I’m also 6 foot 3, but my mom treats me like a baby. I have a job, I drive, I do everything on my own except cook dinner, because family.