The Loneliness of Being the Youngest

People always say being the youngest is easy.

They say I get babied, spoiled, and protected and from the outside it looks like the best place to be.

I never have to be the first to figure things out, the rules are softer by the time they reach me, and everyone assumes I don’t have to carry the same weight.

But it doesn’t always feel like a blessing.

Sometimes it feels like my whole life has already been decided before I even get the chance to live it.

Teachers tell me I’ll be as smart as Noriko, or they remind me how Rika always had perfect handwriting, or how Minato never got into trouble.

They don’t even see me all they see is the ghosts of my siblings who walked in before me.

And when I try to be different, when I try to make my own place, it feels like no one takes me seriously.

“You’re still the baby,” they laugh. “You’ll understand when you’re older.” So I laugh with them, because it’s easier to hide behind jokes and pretend I don’t care.

But the truth is, sometimes I do care. We aren't that different in age either so it's like i'm not really the baby, i'm just treated that way because i sprouted the slowest.

I care that people already think they know who I’ll be before I get to decide.

I care that I feel like I’m running in circles, trying to catch up to the finish line my siblings already crossed.

I care that when I’m scared or sad, nobody asks, because they think being the youngest means I have nothing to be afraid of.

I know my siblings love me, but there are moments when it feels like they’ll never see me as anything other than the little brother.

And maybe I play into it sometimes, because if I keep joking around, no one notices how heavy it feels to always be behind.

People think the youngest has it easiest, but sometimes it feels like the loneliest place of all.

Fumiko's Journaling Prompts

If you’re the youngest, how has that shaped the way people see you?
Have you ever felt judged or compared before you even got the chance to be yourself?
What part of your personality do people overlook because they expect you to play a certain role?

If you love the Parris family and want to dive into their story further you can join the Story Driven Print club here where we explore their story 1 chapter at a time.