What does it mean to be a first-born child in an Egyptian household? Apparently, it means a lot, but a ride in the park isn’t one of them. If you happen to be the eldest sibling, you’ll definitely relate to this.

 

“WHERE IS MY FOOD???!”

Growing Up As The Eldest Sibling

“Where is my dress” occasionally too. It’s like this: you’ve just gotten home after a long tiring day at work and you open the fridge in an attempt to resort to your lone and scrumptious Riter Sport chocolate bar, only it’s not there! And you have no other option but to lose your s***! Similarly, if you’re getting ready for that date you’ve looking forward to for so long only to find out at the last minute that you sister went out with your favourite LBD! Ah, the horror.

Responsibility

Growing Up As The Eldest Sibling

More terror resides in the inevitability of those nights you’ll have no option but to attempt to make a meal or clean the house for your siblings. It might be that mom is sick or a little late at work, and you’ll have to take on the invisible cloak of parenthood/maid-ship and recruit whichever adult skills you have in you to cook up some omelets for those hunger-fueled little ones. This scenario usually ends up with a bowl of cereal for everyone and a bit of smoke coming out from the kitchen.

Noise

Growing Up As The Eldest Sibling

Sometimes it feels like Satan has cooked up a meal of nails on a chalkboard combined with some of Rebecca Black’s singles in an interweaving demonic mixture of child noise in the room next door.

Being An Idol

Growing up as the eldest sibling

Being the oldest sibling can work as a golden goose for some parents to use as leverage against you. Since you’re the oldest, you have to act responsible, and be role model material. Therefore, you must obey willfully; be home at 10 on the spot; don’t curse; don’t dress differently; don’t deviate from Egyptian norms in any possible way even if it makes absolute logical sense to do so. You’ll occasionally have to step in and take all the blame if you ever happen to get into a fit with your siblings.

Looking After Them

Growing up as the eldest sibling

Whether it’s your 15 year old sister coming home crying one night because it’s her first heartbreak, your younger brother coming to you for advice on whether he should drink or not or something as simple as one of them asking you for outfit feedback, you’ll always be the one they turn to when things seem rocky. Being the firstborn child can be quite a chore sometimes, but it’s definitely worth it.