11 Beautiful Things Every Older Sibling Knows To Be True

There is nothing your sister/brother(s) can ever do to push you away.

Updated 8 years ago, May 30, 2017

1. Your sibling will never be too old for your fierce protection.

It doesn’t matter if your brother is six feet tall, or if your sister has her master’s degree and a brown belt in karate. It doesn’t matter if your sibling is more than capable of standing his or her own. It doesn’t matter if the age difference between you two is a matter of months, or if you’re slightly less muscular than your younger sib. As the older sibling, you are the protector. You will stand between your siblings and any demon. You will go to battle for them, fiercely and fearlessly. You will be their backbone, their helping hand, their crutch. No matter how old they are or how able they are to fight—you will be their first line of defense. No matter what.

2. There is nothing your sister/brother(s) can ever do to push you away.

You’ve been through hell and back with your sister/brother(s) but there is nothing, absolutely nothing they can do to keep you from returning back to them and giving them love. Sure, there are fights and distance. Sure, there are times where you both will slam doors and retreat to opposite corners of the house. Sure, there will be moments in life where space between you is both emotional and physical. But still, you will never be out of reach. You will always pick up the phone when they call or when they need you. There is nothing they can do to make you permanently leave.

3. The only person that can mess with your little sibling(s) is you.

You can give them sh*t. You can drive them crazy. You can tease them, play fight with them, bug the crap out of them, maybe even beat them up once in a while. But when it comes to anyone else doing any of those things or treating them poorly, you aren’t having it. You will slam the door in the face of their cheating ex. You will stand between them and a soul-sucking friend. You will speak up for them in fights and threaten any bully who tries to bring them down. The only one who can mess with your little sib(s) is you.

4. Sometimes you feel more like a parent than an older sibling.

You’ve unintentionally and often unconsciously slipped into the parent role before. Whether you’ve been left in charge or felt the need to help out your sibling(s) in crisis, you can’t always help your motherly/fatherly nature. Sometimes it’s hard to find a balance between being there and being bossy. Sometimes it’s hard to know how to help without acting like a know-it-all. Sometimes you struggle with being a friend vs. being an authority figure. Sometimes you just want to protect them from any possible hard. But even when you’re annoying the sh*t out of your sibling(s) by accidentally (or purposely) playing the parent role, you don’t mean it negatively. You love the hell out of your sibling(s) and just want the best for them.

5. You are well versed in the art of forgiveness.

People screw up. This isn’t new, and you’re just as guilty. But being an older sibling has taught you that forgiveness is essential. You’ve learned to forgive the times your sister stole all the cute clothes from your closet or when your brother used your autographed baseball to play catch with his friends. As an older sibling, you know forgiveness all too well. Throughout the years you’ve softened your own heart and learned how powerful it is to let go and love.

6. You are selfless when it comes to your baby sister/brother(s).

Your last piece of candy. The few remaining dollars in your wallet. The extra birthday present, just because. When it comes to your younger sibling(s), you have no problem giving all that you have to them and helping them out when their struggling (even if they drive you crazy).

7. Your sibling(s) come first. Always.

You would drop anything and everything for them in a heartbeat if they needed you. No questions asked, no judgment made. They are your priority, no matter what’s going on in your personal life.

8. It doesn’t matter how old your sibling(s) are, they will always be ‘little.’

You could be grandmas and grandpas and you’d still call your younger sister ‘baby sis.’ No matter how tough your sibling(s) are, no matter how strong or how mature they’ve become, they will always be little to you. And you will always be their guide, confidant, and guardian.

9. Even when you have nothing, you are willing to give.

In the lowest moments of your life, you could still find something to give your younger sibling(s). You could be struggling emotionally, financially, physically—yet they would still have priority in your life. You do this, not because you expect it in return, but because they are your little sister/brother(s). And there is no love like sibling love.

10.You will be there for your sister/brother(s) through thick and thin, high and low, happy and sad.

You know that life won’t be perfect. You know that time and circumstance will test your relationship(s). You know that some days you’ll want nothing to do with your little sibling(s) and some days they won’t have your back like you had theirs. BUT, you will still be there. Through the rough times, the high times and every time in-between, you will fight for your relationship. You will fight to be both siblings and friends.

11. Even at your angriest, you will always, always love your sibling(s) unconditionally.

They could disappoint you, they could break your heart, they could run like hell away from you and your love, but you will care for them unconditionally. There is no laundry list for your relationship, no expectations or demands. You’ve accepted your sibling(s) since they were born and your love for them will never, ever change.