Only last born children will be able to understand

When you get old enough, all the housework falls on you, no matter how old you get. Whenever I see Daniel, I see myself in him. I’ve never liked the chores. Whenever, I get to do it, I do it with so much anger in me. I ask myself why others couldn’t do it, but me?

Daniel is a young boy of about 11-12 years. He’s my friend’s little brother. All Daniel have to do is to fetch water in the house and clear the dishes, plus, run some errands, but he is always sad when doing it. His brother would rage at him and tell me how is it a big work for him, but I know he wouldn’t understand as he’s the first child of his family. I understood how Daniel felt.

On a fateful day, Kola and I went out. Kola is Daniel’s big bro. I had to use his toilet, because I couldn’t hold the urine any longer. Immediately I got to the bathroom, I noticed someone was murmuring in the room next to the bathroom, it was Daniel. Daniel was telling me to use water wisely because there was no water. I had to clean up and check the room but he had left. I told his brother I was leaving, and he was curious cos I’d told him I was staying for the night. I could have been the last person Daniel could have been rude to, cause I stay out of his business and I’ve always tolerated his discourteous behavior. I was mad that day.

His brother kept persuading me to speak up, but I insisted on Daniel’s arrival before I do. Daniel got back and his brother called him in the room. I asked him what he’d said when I was In the bathroom, and he changed everything. I told him exactly what he said. I made him realize I’m the last child of my family and I do understand how he feels, sometimes. I made him know the last time I went home for holiday, my mom sent me to buy her a full crate of Pepsi drink in the next street, and I carried it on my head and I still run errands too. I made him know that these errands he’s trying to run away from can’t be avoided. You can’t run away from it. No matter how old you get, you’ll always be seen as the baby of the house.

The enjoyment a last born child receives end only when he/she is little. When you were a kid all you had to do to get what you wanted was cry and It doesn’t go on to adulthood. When parents are still young and working, they buy you everything you want. The moment they grow old and retire, you are left with your older siblings. You just have to take what they give you. You have no right to be entitled to anything. As long as you grow, you discover nobody owes you anything. You are your own responsibility.

Another thing is, nobody understands you other than yourself. You’ll crave for at least an ally amongst your siblings. One that you can run to for advice or monetary assistance. No matter how you explain that this is how some certain things are done in the present time, someone is against you saying when I was in school, I didn’t have that privilege. You’ll crave for freedom a lot. You want to run away from the errands and problems.

As the last child of your family, you want to be greater and not make same mistakes the others have made. You start searching for ways to run away from the problems and start afresh. Sometimes, it saddens your heart when the people you looked up to when you were a kid are not yet where they are supposed to be. Sometimes, you don’t even like any of them lifestyles, especially when there’s no one to be your mentor or role model in the family. Sometimes, it is hard for you to fit into the world because anywhere you go, they believe last born children enjoys, and you have no answer to that.