 | Having been the youngest of 10 kids often proved to be rather difficult when growing up. While often treated as the baby in the family by both my brothers, sisters and parents, I was also picked on more because of being the youngest and was often reminded of this by my siblings. While growing up the youngest wasn't always the worse thing in the world, I have found as an adult that there are things that are just missing in my life that my siblings have. These things mainly have to do with my brothers and the things that my father showed them how to do when they were growing up. He had time to give them carpentry, electrical, plumbing skills - things that he learned a young man from his father. I, on the other hand didn't get any of these skills and pay for it now as an adult. I also noticed as I grew older that my parents conversations with my older siblings was at a different level. I was jealous of the types of conversations that they had with my parents and I did not. Now that both of my parents have passed I feel even more the baby in the family. My siblings still veiw me in that light and treat me as such. They don't give me credit for the things I know or the abilities that I do have. I'm well educated (paid for entirely by myself), have a great job that I enjoy, have a circle of friends that are wonderful, and do many of the things my siblings only wish they could - yet, I'm the one that's still told what to do, and by the way, I'm in my mid-40's. I know this is a problem for other youngest in large families but would like to know what they have done to cope of the years with this feeling of always being the baby.
I've also posted a second discussion item about being the youngest that is completely different from this one. |
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