We all know having siblings can be a pain in the neck, but at the end of the day, they’re the people you can always count on.

Having an older sister or brother instills many qualities in you. Some you may not even realize.

Competing with an older sibling teaches you to strive to be your best. Learning to get along with an older sibling teaches you teamwork and acceptance.

Sure, there are some days when all you want to do is pretend they don’t even exist, but without them your life would be completely different.

If you didn’t have an older sibling, who would you “borrow” clothes from? Who would you team up with to hassle your parents?

You wouldn’t have anyone to teach you the things a big sister does. You would have to explore the dating scene, makeup world, and so many other intimidating things alone.

Without an older brother, life would do a complete 180. You wouldn’t have anyone picking on you (which may sound like a good thing, but we all know they do it because they love us).

You wouldn’t have someone to teach you things a brother thinks you should know, like how to change a tire or how to play the latest video game (which apparently is a vital skill in life).

Who else would intimidate every guy you’re interested in just because they want to protect you?

As much as they don’t want to admit it, older siblings are always looking out for you. They want what’s best for you, just like you want for them.

Having older siblings is a blessing, and, instead of complaining about them, we should appreciate them and be grateful for having such close family members. They’re the only people that can truly understand things relating to the family and they will always try their best to understand what you’re going through, even if they have a hard time telling you that.

At the end of the day, older siblings are the best friends you’ll always have.