"Pagbigyan mo na. Ikaw yung mas nakakatanda."

This was drilled into your head for as long as you can remember. You had to be the one to give way and to be more understanding. You always had to put your siblings before yourself. "I’ve got needs too, mom!"

You always get first dibs, no contest!

Even if you had to be the responsible one, because you came first, you also got to have the new stuff. Your little sibs got the hand-me-downs. And, you always get top choice when relatives give you a bunch of presents you can choose from. "Ooh, that red top’s mine. And that cute shade of lippie. And I get the Bath and Body Works Vanilla. You can have what I don’t want."

You = Like a boss.
Growing up, you got to call the shots on a lot of things. Just because you’re the eldest. Which makes your decisions better. You sometimes carry this over to non-familial situations, like with friends or colleagues, which may make people think you’re a little… errr… bossy.

You got the stricter version of your parents.

"Mooooom… I can’t be home by midnight! The party’s just starting." Since you were the first, it meant your parents most probably experimented on you. You got the earliest curfew, and yelled "no fair" when the youngest could come home any time he/she wanted. You had to wait till you were, like, 30, until you could entertain suitors, but little sister’s boyfie is present in all family get-togethers. That is, when there’s no school the next day. Yep, they’re still in high school.

You were the Ate ng Bayan.
All of your siblings’ friends would call you ate and come to you for your opinion. You also dished out unsolicited advice.

Yep, you judge the young’uns.
You find yourself clicking your tongue at the antics of the younger generation and muttering, "Kids these days."

Perennial Role Model.

You had to be THE perfect example for your siblings, which put the pressure on you to do everything right. "Study hard and get good grades. Your siblings look up to you. Don’t climb on the furniture. Your siblings might copy you."

You put stuff on lockdown.
You would keep your things locked and hidden because your little sis or bro loved to get in your stuff.

You've told your siblings that they were adopted.
You’re convinced your sibling was adopted. Or tried to convince her that she was. "Your eyes are round, ours is slanted. And you have thin hair, our is waaaaay thick. You’re adopted."

You're always to blame.

You were always at fault, even if the little rascals were the culprit. Because, "You should’ve known better" or "You should’ve kept a closer eye on your little brothers and sisters.

Still, you'll always be a fiercely protective Dragon Momma.
You’ll claw out the eyes of anyone who picks on your little sis and bro. Sure, they’re annoying, but that doesn’t mean others can fight with them. Only you have the license to do that. You also carry this over to friends, when your barkada runs to you when someone’s mistreated them.

SCREENCAP: Instagram @annecurtissmith; GIFs: Giphy