Everyone thinks their younger siblings are annoying and only exist to wreak havoc in their lives. However, I think that having a younger sibling offers many benefits as well.

I have a younger sister, and I am seven years older than her. My parents expect me to take care of her when they aren’t home, help with her homework, play with her, and keep her out of trouble. While my sister has made me scream and cry and yell in annoyance and anger, she has also done a lot for me over the years. For example, she has been my own personal cheerleader since she could speak, and she also helps me with a lot of mundane tasks.

Here are the three biggest benefits of having a younger sibling:

1. They idolize you

One of the biggest perks of having a younger sibling is unconditional idolization. They put you on a pedestal because you are smarter, stronger, and bigger than them. For example, my sister thinks that I don’t do anything wrong. Also, she values my opinion almost as much as she values our mom’s opinion.

Furthermore, my sister wants to be like me when she’s older. She wants to learn everything I’ve learned, and she wants to do everything I’ve done. For example, she wants to learn gymnastics like I did, she wants to read all the books I’ve read, and she even wants to have the same haircut as me. Therefore, having a younger sibling greatly boosts your self-esteem.

On days when you seem to be doing everything wrong, and everyone’s disappointed in you, having a younger sibling can really help. Simply answering one of their questions or helping them with something – and seeing their looks of adoration – can make your day a lot better.

2. They are free labor

Another benefit to having a younger sibling is that you get a free helper. Younger siblings usually rely on their older siblings. This is because younger siblings need older siblings to take care of them when their parents aren’t home. So, because my younger sister needs my help with lots of stuff, I can use that as leverage to get her to do tasks for me. In other words, older siblings can manipulate their younger siblings.

For example, I can get my sister to do things I don’t want to do. Sometimes, when I don’t want to get up from the couch when I’m watching TV, I tell my sister to get me food from the fridge, grab my blanket from my room, or put a dirty plate in the sink. Having a younger sister has really made my life more convenient.

Furthermore, when a younger sibling grows up and doesn’t need you to take care of them anymore, they will continue to help you because they have gotten used to helping you. For example, my friend’s brother, who is a perfectly capable eighth grader, still cooks beef noodles for her, and gets her drinks from the kitchen because he has been helping her out since he was small. So, having a younger sibling is good because they help you with little tasks.

3. Younger siblings make you happy

The last benefit of having a younger sibling is that they are good for your mental well-being. The most obvious reason having a younger sibling makes you happier is because they make you less lonely. They are like a mandatory friend who lives at your house.

However, another important factor is that you can pick on your younger siblings and laugh at them for being gullible. When you and your younger siblings are still kids, you are generally stronger and smarter. Therefore, younger siblings believe everything an older sibling tells them, and older siblings can win fights more easily. That is why older siblings can pick on younger siblings for fun, and they can’t really do anything to retaliate.

Once, when my family and I went to a Japanese restaurant, I tricked my sister into eating some wasabi by telling her that it was matcha ice cream. Another time, when we went to a cemetery for Qing Ming Festival (清明節), I told my sister that zombies lived beneath the tombstones. Then, when she asked me questions about them, like when they come out, what they eat, and how they became zombies, I made up elaborate stories to assuage her suspicions. In the end, she ran from the cemetery screaming, and I laughed until my stomach hurt.

Conclusion

In conclusion, having a younger sibling actually makes life better because they help you and make you happier. Siblings are the people who will be there for you throughout your entire life. Therefore, while I tell my sister to do things for me and play pranks on her, I am still thankful that she has saved me from the complete attention of my parents, and I know that she is there for me, and I am there for her.