My new release, All He Ever Dreamed, is about Josh Kowalski, the youngest of five kids. He’s the baby of the Maine branch of the family and, when it came to that old “write what you know” chestnut, I blew it this time. I’m the oldest. And, not only am I the oldest, but I’m a Virgo, so I was pretty much born to be the the boss of all things.
Josh Kowalski doesn’t see much advantage in being the youngest. One by one, his older brothers and sister all left home, until he was the one left to help their dad run the Northern Star Lodge. Then, when their dad passed away, he just kept on running it. He never had the chance to leave their hometown and figure out what he wanted to do with his life. But at least he has older brothers like Mitch and Ryan to give him (usually) helpful advice.
On the other hand I never saw much advantage in being the oldest. It’s a lot like being a deputy mom, especially since my first sibling wasn’t born until I was six. That kind of age difference encourages babysitting and more responsibility and I didn’t approve at all.
But there was one perk—when in the car with only one parent, I always got shotgun and I didn’t even have to call it. That privilege almost made up for the many, many miles I spent sitting in the middle of the backseat, a younger sibling asleep against each shoulder. (They were very close in age, which leads to bickering, so I was apparently the neutral zone. A comfy neutral zone, handy for that impromptu car nap.)
Even now, at forty, I find those patterns are hard to break. Family will be coming from the midwest to visit this summer and they’ll be staying with my sister in Maine. Who’s doing the planning? Me. Because I’m the oldest. (And a Virgo.) And I still refuse to sit in the backseat.
How about you guys? Are you the oldest, middle, youngest, or an only child, and what’s your favorite thing about it?
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her two favorite activities are writing stories of happily ever after and riding her four-wheeler. She can also be found blogging (almost) daily on her website, www.shannonstacey.com and is often spotted running amok on Twitter, Facebook,and the Harlequin.com community. Her current release, All He Ever Dreamed, is available now from Carina Press.
If you follow me elsewhere, you might have read about my twelve-year-old son’s treasuring of a ginormous bucket of cheese balls. My sister in this photo is showing off her bag of precious Cheerios, which she carried around with her all day. Guess I can’t blame that weird quirk of my kid’s on my husband’s side of the family.
I am the middle child with an older sis and younger bro. I was the typical peacekeeper but that is just my personality. My brother and sister thought I was the favorite. I wasn’t – I just didn’t do the things they did to get in trouble. They often ganged up on me, though, so that sort of stunk. My husband and I had two kids – now there is no middle. Just oldest (boy) and youngest (girl). Somehow, I see my youngest planning things. She likes to be in control of everything. Congrats on All He Ever Dreamed.
Like your hero I’m the youngest of five
At almost 48 I’m still the baby. Driving with a parent and any sibling automatically means I’m stuck in the back. I don’t think I got to sit in the front until I got my own car. LOL
I’m the second of four and oldest girl. However, my mother was the youngest of five and therefore always made us take turns riding shotgun since she always had to sit in the middle when she was younger. The only car seat perk I ever got was not having to sit in the backwards facing seat in the station wagon during our numerous cross-country road trips. But that was more because it made me sick than our birth order. To this day I greatly resent the fact that I cannot read in a car or bus. Trains and planes are thankfully okay.
I wonder if my only have two children stems from that cute little blonde in the photo, showing off her Cheerios, having the WORST case of middle child syndrome I’ve ever seen.
I was special because I was the oldest. My brother was special because he was the baby. Noooooobody loved her. *eyeroll* I remember doing Easter baskets with my mom and every thing not only had to be counted down to the very last jelly bean (because if she got one less? WOE), but each color had to be exact. There was some subliminal message, apparently, if I had one more green and she had one less pink. It meant none of us loved her.
(People who follow me on Twitter or read my blog might be confused because of the implication it’s a three-kid family. So…short version: Dad and mom had me. Divorced. Mom had the two above with stepdad and I grew up with them in the same house. When I was 15 and 23, my dad had daughters with stepmom. I also have a 5 yr old wee baby sister who’s almost official. This is why I so often talk about sisters, when the picture only shows the one.)
My mom was the oldest girl in her family. I wonder, if she had been the youngest and forced to ride in the back, if she would have made us take turns instead of giving me the same perk she had. Interesting.
And when teen sis is with us, she and my teen get the window seats, while the short kid sits in the middle. “Little in the Middle” is what we call it and he HATES it. I bet he lets his youngest ride shotgun when he grows up.
>>>I don’t think I got to sit in the front until I got my own car. <<<
Sandy, i'm sorry, but that made me laugh really hard.
I forgot to mention that I got to sit in the front seat a lot because I got car sick in the back. My brother and sister thought I was faking, but watching me puke on the side of the road should have make them realize I wasn’t. Mom always gave up the front seat for me.
I was one of those kids that puked in the backseat of the family station wagon, so they always had to move me up front. I don’t know why they didn’t do that first, before I puked… Anyway, as #5 of 7 kids, I can totally relate to all of this.
My sister got car sick (thinking back, she really was a pain), but we just made sure there was a bag at hand. Even now, if we go on a long car trip, I have a bag and some paper towels, even though my boys don’t get carsick.
(I hope my poor sister doesn’t stumble across this, LOL. She’s not only my sister but, as adults, she’s become one of my very best friends. Luckily having four sons really beefed up her sense of humor.)