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Life As A Big Brother

     There’s a lot people know about me.  Like the fact that I had an on-again/off-again relationship with Raven-Symone in the late 80’s. Or that I once referred to Nicholas Sparks as "the only author that can bring a man to tears by reading the title alone". Or that I came fairly close to completing a Rubik’s Cube last year.

     But there is one thing that a lot of people do not know. 

     I am a big brother.  (Not like a member of the Big Brother program, but like actually a big brother.)

     Today I felt the urge to share a quick note about why being a big brother has helped shape me as a human being.  It is so easy to grow out of big-brother-dom, forgetting the effect you and this genetically similar human had on each other.  My little brother is now a grown man of seventeen years and it scares the hell out me.  How did this little baby boy that I once used to push around and punch turn into a muscular little tank that can beat me in an arm wrestle?  It baffles my mind.  But as my big-brother-ness becomes less necessary, I’ll still hold on to the color and excitement it brings.

     When Benjamin was born, I was a wee leprechaun of two-and-a-half years.  I could poop in the toilet and I had a pretty good handle on velcro-ing my shoes, but that was about it.  Little Benjy changed that.  I quickly realized that this little baby boy was my creature to mold.  To shape into a super-human with the power to think, speak, and act like his older influence.  Over the years, this realization emerged in the form of outdoor training sessions (where I timed Benjamin as he did push-ups and ran laps around the backyard), mind tests (where I challenged him to create new inventions out of old asthma puffers and water jugs), and entertainment classes (where I forced him to be the guest on my radio show and didn’t let him say much).  These were all important activities, not only for Benjamin’s well-being but for my understanding of life.  I learned how to work with a partner in crime.  And that when you abuse your situation, it always stings you back. 

     There was a lengthy period of time when everything Benjamin did seemed to annoy me to no end.

     "WHY DOES HE HAFTA COPY EV’RYTHING I DO!?" I would scream to my mother.

     "Because he loves you, and he looks up to you." She would calmly reply.

     I vividly remember one incident at the lunch table when Benjamin asked for pickles on his sandwhich after he noticed I was enjoying mine.  I stormed out of the room– tears running down my cheeks and yelling to the heavens: "He doesn’t even LIKE pickles!"

     This is a big moment in big-brother-land.  The time and attention you spend on your little man seems to turn against you.  That cute little baby has turned into a walking, talking, mirror-image of yourself. And it isn’t easy to accept this natural occurance.  You don’t want to be mimicked!  You want to hang out with new friends and learn about their way of living.  You want to leap from infant to young man, but there is this whiny little baby version of you popping up everywhere you turn! 

 
     

     The best part of being a big brother came when I realized that what I used to find annoying was exceptionally flattering.  The words of my mother echoed a little deeper as my understanding of the world grew broader and I realized that little Benjamin was copying me because… I was cool!  He wanted to eat those pickles because he thought they might bring him a little closer to the grown-up world his brother sauntered through.  This was a pivotal discovery for me because, even though I was still learning my times tables, I had come to understand the feeling of affecting someone else.  Of having a purpose in life - that purpose being to nurture the growth of a friend.  This is a wonderful thing.

     When I started to tour a lot, and then when I moved across the country, my connection with my brother may have become less frequent– but it has never weakened.  Brothers are like old war buddies.  We’ve been though it all together and though we don’t talk every day, it doesn’t mean that feeling isn’t still there.  He is his own person now (ironically and thankfully a much different person than me) but I like to think that he still does a few things because he thinks "this is probably what Kyle would do."  

     If you’re a big brother, I hope you realize what a privilege it is.  You should thank your parents for shacking up one more time, and giving you that little buddy.

     And now the truth. 

   
     The reason I felt like writing this today is because I saw this video.  And I think it may be the best thing EVER posted on the internet:

 

53 Responses to “Life As A Big Brother”
  1. Megan Says:

    Hahahha oh my god that video is brilliant. I wasn’t a big brother…uh, obviously, but my mom babysat so most of my friend were younger than me and I had many moments were I stormed off crying because they were copying me.
    For a really long time, I thought I had gotten over it, but only realized that my friends were just more my age, and when I got a friend younger than me again I learned that I never actually got over it.
    Actually there’s more to the story that would make my annoying feelings much more justified…but oh well.

  2. Maggie Says:

    That is the most adorable video in the world.

    And, as the youngest of three, I must agree that we younger siblings only copy because we think very highly of our older siblings. That is until you get to the point where you want to do your own thing, too.

    Very nice blog today Kyle.

  3. Megan Says:

    that is the best video ever. awww
    and i was trying to picture u storming out of a room crying just because ur brother wanted pickels, and im not even gonna lie, i literally LOL’ed haha.

  4. Sami Says:

    very cute.
    I can totally relate…. from a big sister’s perspective.
    it’s a very scary thing when your baby brother can drive a car, and is scouting out college programs but I feel a ton of pride in the person he’s become.

    makes me feel a little sad for single kids.

  5. Jessica Says:

    Omg…the video is amazing…so cute!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Well,I’m the youngest in my family and I have 2 big brothers!!!!! They’re great with me and I love them!!!!!!! Like your brother,I usually copied what my brothers did cause I wanted to seem older!!!!! And actually,I still do this sometimes =)
    I really like this blog Kyle!!!!!!!!!!

  6. Marc and Ned Says:

    You are profound way beyond your years!

  7. Danielle Says:

    Awh! That video is amazing! And this totally made me call MY older brother, you’re a great person Kyle.

  8. Michelle Says:

    your little brother looks like a mini you.
    hahhaa.
    hes a cutieee :D

    ohhh i know what being the oldest is.
    im 1st out of 5. haha. beat that.

  9. Jey Says:

    i know from experience being a big brother isnt easy i can two little brothers who look up to me alot so i have to watch everything i do because i know they try and copy it but to have a bigger older brother is a privilege its self

  10. Jenn Says:

    you are such a great writer. I love picturing the way you were. As i’m an older sister, I know exactly what you are talking about.. The video was so funny i had tears.

  11. Zyanya Says:

    aww that was cute. i’m an older sister but i know the feeling. I love my brother but even now he is a bit much. Best of luck with everything and thanks for the add on myspace!

  12. lansing Says:

    oh to be back in the days of kylaven-simone. the world has never been the same.

  13. Ames Says:

    Know what you’re talking about. I’m the eldest of 4… One is a brother who’s four years younger than me. I was so proud the day he was born, I can’t even tell you! Finally I had a little brother! And he was all mine… Plus a cousin who has always admired me. She used to love nothing more than to wear my outgrown clothes. I remember I once demonstrated to the two of them that stones sink in water but pinecones and wood float. How they marveled at my wisdom..!

  14. Cassandra Says:

    I really enjoyed this blog, mostly becausea I understood what you were trying to get at. You have such an eloquent way with words. I’m not a boy, so I’m not a big brother, but I have 3 big brothers whom I’ve tried to imitate nonstop when I was younger because I wanted to be cool like them. And now I’m a big sister to 2 little boys and 5 beautiful girls. They look up to me; and though they may annoy me, they give me purpose. They are why I go to school and get straight A’s and not do drugs. They see me as someone to be like, someone to copy. Why not give them someone admirable to copy. Someone everyone could be proud of. Thank you so much for sharing this. It has brought up many feelings and memories.

  15. Carolyn Says:

    haha when charlie started playing i freaked out! i have a younger brother also. we are about 3 years apart and my mom tells so many stories about us. one of them was when i freaked out cuz when he was born we visted him and i had to go pee, but sadly had no diapers so i had to use the big girls room. anywho when i came back he was gone and i freaked out and it turned out he was getting his baby pics…. another story that happened far to many times was my mom would try and try to get him to sleep and then when she finally did she would put him in the crib and go do something else. a little while later she would hear baby screaming and come in to see me in the crib with him XD those are my stories, hope you enjoyed them :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY, by the way….

  16. Мекс Says:

    Народ в подобных случаях так говорит - Баба гневалась на торг, а торг того и не ведает. :)

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  18. Гавриил Says:

    Радует, что ваш блог постоянно развивается. Подобные посты только прибавляют популярности.

  19. Jean Coveney Says:

    great article- whats it like having a taller stonger little brother? is ur role as big brother diminished?

  20. Mandy Says:

    I just want to say that it is amazing that you love and respect your brother so completely! I had a beautiful little sister who’s life was cut short due to domestic violence and have found it very difficult to get past all the things I wish I had done diffrently. Do it right the first time and you will live with no regrets! Peace! M

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  26. Lease Says:

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  28. deffzp Says:

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  29. Арина Says:

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  30. Steve Maxwell Says:

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  31. плoxaя Says:

    Действительно, на самом деле все очень просто :)

  32. Святослав Соколов Says:

    Почитал, обрадовало :) А может и на самом деле всегда думать только о хорошем, а все плохое отбрасывать?

  33. Upendraya Says:

    nice post.. keep it up

  34. lorbnoubre Says:

    Как всегда на высоте (постоянный читатель )

  35. Grow Taller 4 Idiots Review Says:

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  36. home buyer representation Says:

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  37. Елизавета Says:

    Nice photo)))

  38. Леонид Says:

    НЕ в тему немного, но радует, что автор к блогу не просто тупо взял какую то тему для ВП, а сделал что то свое и вкладывает в это дело душу.

  39. Наталья Says:

    Thanks! The very useful information.

  40. guicedo Says:

    Находчивый человек всегда найдёт, что сказать, ведь для того мат и придуман, так что, может надо писать еще находчивей )

  41. ApplyCreditCards Says:

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  42. Алан Says:

    Интересная статья. Краткость явно чья-то сестра ;)

  43. guicedo Says:

    Ну это Вы перегибаете палку. Не согласен, не может такого быть, не можем мы такого допустить. Прямо буря в душе поднялась.

  44. Евгений Says:

    Давно искал такую инфу, Большое спасибо за Вашу работу.

  45. Jade Says:

    wow, man, i guess you got to clean some of those spam comments…

  46. lorbnoubre Says:

    По моему у Вас украли эту статью и поместили на другом сайте. Я её уже видел.

  47. Петр Says:

    Радует, что блог постоянно развивается. Подобные посты только прибавляют вам популярности.

  48. Сергей Александров Says:

    Отлично и полезно, а будет еще что-нибудь из этой же серии?

  49. lorbnoubre Says:

    Текст написан по принципу

  50. lorbnoubre Says:

    Офигеть просто! Все, блин, всё знают, кроме меня

  51. guicedo Says:

    Да надо бы над этим задуматься, я этому не уделяю особого внимания, нужно будет пересмотреть действия и предпринять там что бы мой блог ожил, а то только тоны гавнокоментов (спама) действительно хороший пост, респект автору

  52. lorbnoubre Says:

    что правда, то правда=)

  53. lorbnoubre Says:

    А еще говорят, что в Интернете не найдешь по-настоящему интересную информацию!


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