Fight. Cry. Laugh. Repeat. This might sound like a familiar routine to you if you have siblings.

Having siblings is both a blessing and a curse. The best thing about having siblings is the diversity each person brings to the family. With siblings, normal days are never truly normal. Each siblings’ personality is completely different yet they often all blend together perfectly.

Another advantage of having siblings is all the memories we share. It’s always fun to look back and laugh at the dumb things we have done. One time my two older brothers gave me a haircut. My mom was not too happy but it is something we talk about at almost every family get-together. I don’t know what I would do if I only had my parents to joke around with.

Pros and cons of having siblings definitely differ depending on where you are in the birth order. Being the youngest child in my family with two older brothers, I have learned a lot from them.  By watching my brothers grow up and experience life, I have seen their mistakes and can use them as examples in my own life. This is another benefit of having siblings that only children don’t have.

Although there are pros to having siblings, having two brothers is a struggle: smelly socks, annoying friends and a lot of wrestling. But the worst thing about having siblings is always being associated with them. When you have siblings there is a great chance that people will recognize you because of your siblings, which is extremely irritating. Many people constantly ask me about my brothers.

Having to compete for my parents’ attention is also a downside of having siblings. With multiple children, my parents have to juggle the three of us. From my point of view, it seems that my parents give more time to my older brothers and it sometimes seems like I am at the bottom of their priority list. It feels like I have to constantly fight for my parents’ attention and it’s times like those that I wish I was an only child. Only children can sometimes end up being sheltered but I envy them for having close relationships with their parents. I also know that my parents are not in the financial position they would like to be, with having to support multiple children instead of just one.

There’s also another thing you lose when you have siblings: privacy. My room is always being broken into and my belongings constantly taken. When you live with siblings you’re susceptible to anything and everything.

Although I wish I was seen as my own person, had some privacy and my parents’ undivided attention, I wouldn’t trade my siblings for the world. I have learned so much from them, like how to socialize with people my age and be optimistic in anything I do.

Send comments to poznanskiab0410@daretolearn.org