I would like to post about the importance of first born children. We have our special traits, our little idiosyncrasies. First borners - only we can truely appreciate the label...
First born children hold a special place in this world, starting with birth. Oh yes...we have a special job. Our first job is to stretch the womb to make it a cozier place for our sibling brethren. Hope you were all comfortable in the niches we had so thoughtfully provided for you. We also worked diligently to spread the painful head shaping pelvis to allow for a more comfortable passage for you - and I will not mention the actual birth canal. I'm sure by now you can see my point...
Our second important job that we have been charged with is "breaking in" our parents. Oh no, you were never triple belted in a high chair, or bumpered off from entering rooms. You never had a weeping mother frantically calling the emergency room when your temperature was a measly 99.0. There was no smothering blankets draped over your car seat when it was 65 degrees outside. We blazed the trail for you regarding the first day of school, the first big trouble (which, by the way, was NEVER that big of deal when YOU did the same thing), the first drivers ed, the first graduation. It was <> our pleasure to make sure that everything went so smoothly for you...
Our third important job has been to provide our parents with grandchildren. Fear not - as grandparents our parents love all grandchildren equally - but we have provided the first of the next generation in the line. Us first borners got the lucky nightly phone calls to ensure that we knew what we were doing - just like our parents, we BS'd our way through those calls!
Our fourth important job is overseeing the family. WE get the phone calls about our siblings behavior (not OUR own kids), we get the communications from families regarding area "news". While this is a mantle we wear proudly, it is also exclusively ours. No one can take that from us, and honestly we don't want you to.
Oldest children bear the family responsibilities with pride. We will be the ones making the tough choices when faced with a parent illness, when helping out a sibling when a they stumble. We do it out of love, and because we have that strength and perseverance to do so. Will we allow the younger siblings to attend to family hustle and bustle in our stead? Well...pardon us if we're a little pooped out from making YOUR life easier from day "negative" one!!
5 comments:
Very well done. I will have to say though my secound born child is the child I needed stiches with after child birth though. I will have to say my first born does pave the way, however as a parent it's my secound born that comes up with new ways to challenge me. Do you think since we are first borns ourself that we let our first borns get away with more, or that we expect more from them?
Amen, sista! I like to call us "Practice Children."
Yeah, you guys paved the way alright! Let me just say~ they still had alot to learn! :)
Now girls, whether you came first or second, you were all unique and challenging! Hold on, your turns are not over yet. Luv ya all,
This is so very very true...I absolutely love being the first born, except when it means having the younger ones tell you all the "fun" things they can do that you never could.
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