I am the eldest child of eight siblings and it was tough to be one.In Filipino culture, it is expected that being the eldest means you need to fulfill extraordinary roles to have your parent's trust.You need to lead your younger siblings in doing the house chores, be good in your studies so that they would follow your footsteps, it's almost more than a role model that is being asked.Sometimes to the extent of becoming a saint to your younger siblings.
Being the eldest means being the leader among them.If you don't know how to lead your siblings, they will end up hating you and would create a barrier that can make your relationship as cold as the temperature in the North Pole.At a young age, it was hard for me to ask them to help me in doing house chores or do the errands, who's going to take care of our baby siblings, and everything at needs minimal effort.I complain and they complain more.When I shout at them, they shouted back at me louder than I did to them.They would follow my orders whining.
I was so grateful that my father, who is the only child of my paternal grandparents, advised me that, "your siblings are your mirrors, treat them right and you will get the respect you deserved" he said.So, I became very patient to them and treated them as friends.And we did things at home as a team.
Night time after dinner is one of the best moment for us.We were lucky that we didn't have TV at home.We have lots of books to read and we spent the night talking to each other about our day.Our father is the funniest man I have known, he would talk with action and he loves telling us stories about his funny experience in life.My grandfather was funny too.I would always love listening to his made-up songs with funny lyrics.My grandmother and mother were preparing for our bed while we were talking in the living room.
Time to go to bed has come, and my siblings and I would argue sometimes if who would sleep beside our grandmother.Our house has four rooms.But we chose to sleep in my grandparent's room and my grandfather is sleeping with my brother.They are already quiet but us, girls still would argue if who's going to sleep on the left right and right side of our grandmother and who can't sleep beside her.So, we made a schedule we wrote it on a paper and posted it on a wall beside our grandma's bed.
We were on the stage of adolescence that the three of us use our room.We became less interested in our grandmother's stories because we already talked about our crushes and suitors.Of course, we don't want our grandmother to spill the beans to our father.We know each other's love story and secrets.There is where I really appreciate how lovely it is to have many sisters.Our brother was still young at that time, so we never dare to utter any boy's name when he's with us.
This picture of my siblings and my youngest son, taken after my sister's birthday.When I had my family my siblings went here too, three of them are already working and the other one is still studying at New Era University.My 3 other siblings are still in our hometown in Iloilo.
We may be more mature in some ways, but when we're together we still act like kids laughing together and making fun of each other without getting offended just like the way we were in the past.I just got lucky that my siblings are my friends.
We have disagreements sometimes due to our personality differences.But at the end of the day, we are still siblings and there's no one we could trust and turn to other than the "us" who share the same genes, bind with love, and strengthen with experiences we shared together.
Thank You for Reading!
Some photos are mine.
Photo sources:https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=siblings+doing+their+homework&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjU4qnz1P3YAhUBJ5QKHWUDCC4Q_AUICygC&biw=1448&bih=752#imgrc=HDakndgNonfD0M:
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I am grateful for that and for everyone who has helped me and my friends.
