Have you been given the title "baby sister" or "baby brother"?
By miamilady
@miamilady (4910)
United States
February 16, 2008 8:37pm CST
If you aren't a youngest, then maybe someone should tell you...it's NOT necessarily an enjoyable title to be saddles with.
I am the youngest of four. I am FORTY years old.
I am STILL referred to as "the baby" at times.
Any idea how irritating that can be??
VERY!
I'm not a needy person. I am a grown woman with a 15 year old and a 12 year old. Life is not perfect, but I think I function pretty well as an adult.
My mother passed away recently, and for the most part I was the one holding my siblings together througout most of the ordeal. I am the one most responsible for keeping tabs on my dad.
I was a stay at home mom for a number of years, but I have also had several jobs. I am emplyed part time now. With the exception of one job, my employers have always been please with my work.
It would me nice if my brother and sisters would acknowledge me as an adult once in a while!
Can anyone relate?
Do your older siblings still treat you like the baby?
If you are an older sibling, are you guilty of treating your younger siblings like they are still your KID sister or brother?
5 people like this
13 responses
@mummymo (23706)
•
18 Feb 08
I am simply known as the baby! Although I am often treated as a the baby in a lot of ways I am also treated as an adult in other ways! The good thing about being the baby though is that you always have support if you do need it - not that I ever take advantage of the fact - you know that if you run into big trouble or problems then you have someone you can turn to! I think I have earned the respect of my siblings because I have been there and looked after our Gran as I am the one who lives closest to her and have a very special bond - they all seem to appreciate what I do for her! xxx
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
18 Feb 08
I am the one that lives closest to my dad.
I get some appreciation. Mostly the appreciation is expressed by one sister who lives teh furthers.
My oldest sister who lives closest to me is the one I have the most issues with.
I have tried a number of times to communicate with her and resolve some of our issues, but honestly I don't think she will ever comprehend my point of view.
We get along okay most of the time, it is only occassionaly that these issues become a problem.
1 person likes this
@bestisyettocome (1531)
• United States
18 Feb 08
I am the youngest sibling and it thrills me beyond belief to be the "baby sister". I am grown and an adult and recently graduated from college. But if I didn't still have the title "baby sister" or "lil sis" I would be devastated! My mom now has a shiztzu dog and calls it my baby sister and me "Aunt Jo" and it kills me. I AM THE BABY and it will forever stay that way! Yes, I am spoiled...
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
18 Feb 08
lol well i'm glad you enjoy the title. I don't. but if it works for you, awesome! lol
I actually sent my siblings an email about a lot of things, and one of the things I mentioned was how I felt about being thought of as the "baby sister" still.
My oldest sister called me last night and said she hasn't thought of me that way since we were kids.
She said she knows I'm an adult, blah blah blah
I just listened and said "okay".
But I wonder why everytime she introduces me to a friend she introduces me as her little sister.
shrugs. I guess it's just a thing that people do?
For me, it just gets old after a while.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
17 Feb 08
Of course you Are the baby of the family if you are the youngest.Don't take it as an insult. It is just a fact.You can be 60 and if your siblings are still alive , you will be the baby.It doesn't have to do with what you did with your life. It has to do with the order you were born into the family.It is like what my mom used to say, " You will be 70 years old and you still will be my baby."
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
17 Feb 08
I live in America and am referred to as the "baby" sister more often than "kid" sister. It's either "baby" or "little" sister.
On the kid thing though. It's pretty funny. I didn't know that kid had anything to do with goats until about 10 years ago when my CHILDREN were in pre-school. I used the word KID often. One of the moms told me she hated the word because it made her think we were calling them goats. After she told me that, I was more concious of that word and started to use the word children more often. But I have not been able to eliminate the word "kid" from my vocabulary completely when talking about children.
You just gave me one more reminder to be careful with that word! :-)
@musicman6 (2406)
• United States
17 Feb 08
Yes I am, and that's because they are still my kid sisters and kid brothers, but being the oldest , they still come to me, when something is up, and I've always been there for them!
It's just natural for me, because I've been in this position for 58 years,but i'm used to it!
I guess it would be nice, just one time to not to have to take the lead, but it's just a force of habit!
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
17 Feb 08
My sister tells me about her responsibilites as the oldest. I imagine sometimes it feels like a big responsibility, even as we become adults.
If your brothers and sisters are still coming to you, after all these years, that says a lot about your family and your relationship with them.
YOu sound like a great big brother.
1 person likes this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
17 Feb 08
Hi miamilady! I am the eldest in our family and I have two younger brothers. However, I am not that type who treats my brothers like that. I do give them advice when they come to me but never have insisted on them that is the right thing to do. I always tell them that it is always up to them to weigh all the advices given to them and chose what would really make them happy and better people. I guess, it has been like that since we were young. We were always taught to help and protect and care for each other but not to the point of dictating or trying to rule each others' lives. I respect and trust my brothers decisions in their lives and I also go to them when I needed their care,support and opinions. However, I still know how it feels to be treated as a baby because that is how my brothers and I feel because that is how we are treated by our aunts and our grandmother. Just my thoughts. Take care and have a nice day! :)
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
17 Feb 08
It sounds like you and your brothers have a great relationship. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
@SViswan (12051)
• India
18 Feb 08
lol..I am the older one and I have to say I am guilty of treating my little sister like a baby (she's 7 years younger than I am). But I really can't help it because she is always coming to me for help...with work, with home...anything. There was a stage when I asked her to do things on her own so that she can learn....and she got upset. I think she likes to be babied and makes me feel all worldly wise...lol...so I guess it's all good. But there are some times when she doesn't like me babying her and giving her advice....I do it out of habit and then she feels she's all grown up!
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
17 Feb 08
when you are the youngest ya never get over being the kid sister / brother
Its really a term of emdearment. I am a mo m call my youngest my baby boy and hes 38 works has a son and a grand daughter. but to me he will always be my youngest so I will probably always call him my baby boy as a tterm of endearment
@Rozie37 (15499)
• Turkmenistan
17 Feb 08
I think that is very cute. I am the baby and have sisters who are two and three years older than me. They call me their little sister and I am taller and bigger than both of them. When they introduce me as their little sister, people are looking around like, where is she, we don't see her and I am standing right there.
The funny part about it is, they come to me for advice. Sometimes it hurts, because I want to be able to look up to them. The only time they treat me like the baby is when I want to do something that they do not want me to do.
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
17 Feb 08
I am bigger than my oldest sister also. lol
But I think she's the one that enjoys thinking of me as "little" sister the most! Go figure.
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
17 Feb 08
Hello dear miamilady. I am the youngest of the three siblings, but I am not treated as the youngest since I started to work and I am very happy for that. When I was still a student, I was treated as the youngest baby in the family, but now whenever an important family event is to be carried out, my advice is usually adopted. Thanks for your topic.
@terri0824 (4991)
• United States
17 Feb 08
I am the oldest of seven. Since I've been out on my own for many years, I can't recall treating my siblings any differently since they became adults. Granted I may not agree with them, and we may have our differences. But I don't treat them as if they are younger than me or the baby of the family. Nor do I treat them as if they don't know anything either.
@sophialin (2677)
• China
17 Feb 08
i'm the youngest of two, but i was never treated as a baby sister. i was born only 20 months later than my elder sister. basically, my parents treat us with no difference, sometimes, i take more responsibilities.
@jellyjam74 (205)
• Canada
17 Feb 08
i am the middle child of 3 girls, in my early 30's. my baby sister (who will be 30 soon) relishes in the fact of being the baby of the family. i guess we've eached carved our niche in the family. it doesn't really matter how old we get, she will always be the baby (although she is not treated like a "baby")
