8 Everyday Signs That You’re Actually A Youngest Oldest Child

I know what you’re thinking – you can’t be both the youngest and the oldest child in the family. You have to be one or the other!

Well, that is where you are wrong!

I recently learned that I’m an extroverted introvert. What that means is that I am a deep person who likes to read a lot of books and doesn’t have to answer my phone, but also I am very social and love to go out and party! It’s probably very hard for you to understand that, because you haven’t read all the scholarly articles about it that I have. It’s okay. You’re probably just an extrovert, they don’t know how to read.

Anyway. What I learned since finding out that I’m an extroverted introvert is that you can actually combine any two conflicting identities if you don’t feel like the one that scientifically fits you allows you to fully express yourself!

So even though I don’t technically have any brothers or sisters, I looked at the definition of ‘oldest child,’ (which means that you are very responsible and high-achieving) and the definition of ‘youngest child’ (which means you are the life of the party and have a tattoo) and I realized that I am both of those things!

I am a youngest oldest child and I finally understand myself.

Here are eight signs that you are a youngest oldest child too:

1. Sometimes you go out to a party but other times you stay late at work.

Youngest children are always drinking and partying (they never care about their careers) but oldest children are very serious and successful at work. So if you sometimes go out and drink but sometimes don’t, it means that you are a youngest oldest child like me!

2. Sometimes you feel like you’re the most responsible person in your friend group but other times you get so drunk you have to sleep in your friend’s bathtub.

Like you always know when your friends should break up with their shitty boyfriends (CLASSIC oldest child wisdom) but then other times your friends have to take care of YOU like you’re the youngest child.

3. You are way too good for small talk.

Honestly, everybody who exists loves small talk except for youngest oldest children. Seriously, ask anyone. They will all tell you that small talk is their favorite thing ever.

4. You just get everyone else, but nobody really gets you.

It’s not everyone else’s fault – it’s just that everybody else is either an oldest or a youngest child, but you’re a youngest oldest child and that’s a way more complex identity so you’re totally okay with how they don’t understand you.

5. You can lead a group OR follow a group and be totally comfortable with either!

Oldest children are SO uncomfortable if they’re not the leader of every group, honestly. But youngest children don’t have ANY organization skills so they can never lead the group, but if you’re a youngest oldest child you can do both!

6. You’re very selective about who you date.

Since you’re a youngest oldest child, people often don’t get exactly how you tick. The youngest children think you’re all fun and games like them (but actually you’re deeper than that) but the oldest children are just too serious for you. Your perfect match is probably a middle only child, but they’re not very common. Don’t settle before you find one, though!

7. You sometimes need alone time even though it seems like you don’t.

Everyone thinks you’re a classic youngest child, always out climbing mountains and cashing in on their trust fund, but actually you need a lot of alone time to recharge, like a typical oldest child. Sometimes you even spend a whole day by yourself, no seriously!

8. You’re honestly just way deeper than everyone else you know.

You’d never admit it out loud but honestly, everyone else is either just an oldest child or just a youngest child, but not you. You have traits of both and you can’t say it has made it easy for you in life! But you’re okay with it – because you know that you’re uniquely you. And only other youngest oldest children will possibly ever understand.