Good Child Vs. Bad Child

Since I was a child, my little brother has always seemed to be the favourite. He was labelled the good one and I was the bad one. My whole life I struggled to get the same recognition my brother got from my parents and still to this day I will never be able to out do my perfect brother.

When I was growing up I will admit I was probably a bit more stubborn, a bit more rebellious and bit more candid when it came to not getting my way. Nevertheless, I wasn't a bad kid! I did well in school, I never did drugs and never did anything illegal. So why was I made to feel like I was the failure. My whole life I was made to feel like I could've done better. Meanwhile my parents are proud of everything my brother has accomplished. I have grown to resent my brother and despise all his achievements. I do not know how to compete with him and still tot his day my parents still make me feel the same way I felt when I was a child.

I get engaged my mother tells me "Good for you!" in a sarcastic tone. My brother gets engaged and she cries tears of joy. I get pregnant, give the news and her face cringes with disapproval. (And I have the pictures to prove it!) Now that my brother is married she is encouraging him to hurry up and give her grandchildren. His wife is a saint and my husband is the devil. There just doesn't seem to be anyway to make them proud. Am I really a failure or are my parent's standards too high? Was I really that bad of a child and perhaps I am just in denial?

Many siblings go through the same situation as I did. Children who receive more discipline and less tenderness from their parents, usually will have more difficulties adjusting. So perhaps I am one of those kids? My parents were very hard on me growing up and I had a lot of rules to follow. I was always told, my brother would have the same rules as I when he would reach my age but the rules for him just didn't seem to apply. I'm sure a lot of you's out there know what I am I talking about. Let me know if you feel the same way I do. Perhaps we can heal these wounds together!