If you have an older brother or sister, what was childhood like? (Lighthearted)

[wanderings]

I don't have an older brother or sister as I was the eldest of two, and DH is also the oldest, so I don't know what it's like from the younger sibling's point of view, I'm feeling curious tonight!

Did you envy them for being older, able to stay up later, having more independence, getting to do many things before you? Were they protective of you, or did they see you as an annoying little one? Did they babysit you? Was there a lot of "when I was your age...", or "I can't tell you that, you're too little"?

My older sibling (4.5 yr gap) basically tortured me for most of my childhood (taunted me, teased me, beat me up, made me look stupid, etc) and made absolutely no secret of the fact that she didn't like me and that she thought I was a pain/ a dork/ annoying/ in the way/ etc.

However, it all turned out ok! Once she left home she started being much nicer to me and we subsequently lived together and have been best of friends for the past 20 or so years. No one can make me laugh like she does and I'd walk over burning coals for her.

My DB is 20 months older than me. We were great playmates as children, and when I was very little he was kind and protective of me. I still love him to bits and I know he loves me too.

My big brother was great. We played and got along great and when he was older I could go out with him and stay late
My sister was horrific and bullied and hurt me for years.
My other sister was great but quite older so I only really met her well when she came back home after uni

I have two big brothers (one is 7 years older than me and the other is 4 years older than me).

We all get on great, although my two brothers are closer to each other but i always played by myself in my room or helped mum or dad out with what they were doing

And when they included me in their games it was great!

Im the youngest of 4. There is 10years between me and oldest. My childhood memories are full of being basically dragged up rather than raised. My parents always focussed on what massive dickhead mistake my brother had made. What debt he had got himself into. What lie he had told about our family. He used to lie and say my dad beat him. He 100% without a doubt never laid a finger on him or any of us. He never would.
My and my siblings now have a fractured relationship. I hate that my brother made so many mistakes that my parents had to financially bail him out of it left the stressed, unwell, and with no financial support by the time i was his age.
DH is a middle child whos sister is basically a lazy bennefit scrounger who does sweet bugger all and relies on their dad. He also felt kicked to the side.
It has meant we have agreed we want our ds to have the best upbringing he can and only to have another if we are sure this would enhance his life.
My parents are very religous and 4 children was never in the plan and as the youngest, i could tell i was unwanted. I didnt walk until i was nearly 2 because my mum was run ragged with the others. And in my teen years, when my brother was off living the high life and charging it to my dads cards/against the house (bayliffs), i self harmed to get attention from my parents. (Not the standard slit wrists, i would try and break bones to need to be cared for).
Its awful being the youngest if im honest. My siblings have no clue i feel this way and they didnt know i saught attention that much. They still dont. But i did learn from their mistakes and would say im the happiest of them all right now after i learnt their opinion doesnt matter. I do still desperatly want them to care about me and ds, but they dont.

I have an older brother but he was away at school quite a lot so don’t have that many memories of him during my childhood. We are reasonably close now, but couldn’t say he has had a significant impact on me for either good or bad.