Women With Older Brothers Have 11 Rare Traits That Make Them Different From The Rest

Women who have older brothers are built differently. They grew up in a home that may have been filled with constant chaos. It helped them develop special traits that set them apart from everyone else.

While boys can get a bad rap for being loud and messy, that’s not all they bring to the table. Women who grew up with older brothers also experienced fun. Surely, they had constant entertainment. It helped them develop a strong sense of humor. Older brothers also act as protectors. They may have been there for their sisters through thick and thin at an early age. This made them feel safe and confident. Siblings leave a lasting impact on our lives. If you grew up with an older brother, you probably have some of these super-rare traits.

Women with older brothers have 11 rare traits that make them different from the rest

1. They are confident

confident woman who has ab older brother Lina Vanessa Merchán Jimenez from corelens via Canva

If you have an older brother, you may not realize they helped you gain confidence. Women who grew up close to their older brothers may have felt safer and more trusting. Forming strong, loyal bonds with siblings can help people learn to trust. With trust may come more confidence. Confidence building between older brothers and little sisters can have a lasting effect into adulthood.

“When trust is in place, siblings can practice self-disclosure and confidence sharing. Without trust, even young children will hesitate to share personal information,” says Suzanne Degges-White, Ph.D.

2. They are adventurous

adventurous woman who has an older brother kittichai boonpong's Images via Canva

Our siblings influence the decisions we make. We may not realize the impact they have on our lives. If a woman grew up with an older brother who was adventurous, that may have transferred over to her. Often, boys are encouraged to be more adventurous than girls are. Boys are rough on the playground and told to explore the world differently from their female counterparts. Even if a woman wasn’t encouraged to be as adventurous as her brother, growing up in the same home can make that trait rub off on them.

Some women who grew up with older brothers may have been able to shake the cautious nature with which many girls are raised. She may have enjoyed copying everything her older brother did.

3. They are assertive

assertive woman who has an older brother Marcus Queiroga Silva from Pexels via Canva

We’ve all heard of sibling rivalry. While a woman may love her older brother, it doesn’t mean she didn’t experience difficult times with him. If she grew up constantly competing with him or dealing with his occasional bullying, she might have learned to be more assertive than the rest. Parents might have viewed this behavior as two kids messing around rather than treating it as bullying. As a result, girls had to be assertive. She had to put her foot down when her brother crossed a line with her.

All that childhood practice made them more prepared to be assertive as adults. Whether it’s at work or in their personal relationships, they may be more equipped to say no and stick to it. They’re used to fighting back against bullying.

4. They have a strong sense of humor

woman who gained a strong sense of humor from having an older brother Susannah Townsend from baseimage via Canva

Social scientists have been researching the effects of genetics on someone’s sense of humor. After conducting a few studies with identical twins, they discovered there is a small link. If you have an older brother with an impeccable sense of humor, you may have one too. If we are to believe humor runs in the family, this makes sense. Even if you don’t believe humor is genetic because of how grumpy your parents are or how unfunny your siblings are, there is still a link to be found here.

Brothers can be immature and comical. When they’re doing little pranks around the house or causing chaos for your parents, you may have picked up this sense of humor along the way. Whether you watch the same shows or engage in playful banter, humor can be something you both bond over.

5. They are competitive

woman who is competitive because she has an older brother Nathan Marcam from Pexels via Canva

Siblings can be overly competitive with one another. Sometimes, one may be trying to prove they are better than the other. Whether it’s through grades, achievements, or how many friends they have, constantly comparing themselves to one another can be difficult. If their parents encouraged this behavior, it may have set them up to be competitive for the rest of their lives. It can go from sibling rivalry to serious competition over time.

Constantly competing with their brothers can make some women more competitive. Into adulthood, they might continue this behavior, not only with their siblings.

6. They have thick skin

woman who developed thick skin from having an older brother FatCamera from Getty Images Signature via Canva

Women who grew up with older brothers may have learned early on not to take things too personally. Having a thick skin was necessary in their home. Their brother may have been constantly messing with her or throwing insults her way to get a rise out of her. When her brother was acting out, she had to remind herself that his behavior wasn’t about her. He was going through whatever he was going through, or intentionally trying to get under her skin. Reminding herself of this may have helped.

Whether she realized it or not, this trait would set her up for success in the future. When she faces rejection, her thick skin reminds her that it’s not personal. It makes her different from the rest.

7. They are adaptable

woman who is adaptable because she had an older brother Karola G from Pexels via Canva

Growing up in a home with siblings makes people more adaptable. There was always something going on. It didn’t matter what time of day it was. Everyone was running on a different schedule. Since things were constantly up in the air, it may have made some women more adaptable. If her brother's friends were over or he needed to use the car, she had to adapt. Each sibling would have to take turns with things for the other person.

Adaptability makes us stronger people. Being able to go with the flow makes life a lot easier. If your older brother caused you havoc as a kid, he may have given you the rare trait of adaptability.

8. They are empathetic

empathetic woman who has an older brother Mike_austin from pixabay via Canva

A study conducted by the University of Toronto found that siblings can make us more empathetic. Like parents, siblings have a massive impact on how we see the world around us. Having older brothers can help influence our understanding of other people. They also play a role in developing our language skills. Your older brothers played a bigger role in your life than you may realize.

If your brother was kind, supportive, and empathetic himself, these traits may have rubbed off on you, the study found. Plus, the patience you showed them during those frustrating years definitely went a long way.

9. They are direct

woman who is direct because she grew up with an older brother VladFCat from pixabay via Canva

Did you grow up with an older brother? How often did you have to tell them to stop annoying you? There was often no beating around the bush. You had to be direct, or you wouldn’t get what you wanted from them. Let’s face it, you probably didn’t get what you wanted anyway, but being direct helped a little bit.

Our siblings influence much of our personalities. If you were constantly annoyed by your brothers, you may have developed the ability to be direct. Saying what you mean without being apologetic can get you far. Whether it’s at work or in relationships, this trait will set you apart from the rest, who may be too afraid to advocate for themselves.

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10. They are resilient

resilient woman who grew up with an older brother Oleg Magni from Pexels via Canva

You may not realize that your older brothers made you more resilient. Whether we want to admit it or not, our siblings play a serious role in our identities. Older siblings can help us learn problem-solving skills and make us more resilient individuals. We learn how to handle conflicts with them, as we spend more time with them than anyone else during our formative years. They probably caused the majority of the conflict, too, right?

“Studies have found that sibling rivalry can promote resilience and problem-solving skills, as siblings learn to navigate conflicts and find resolutions,” says author Fern Schumer Chapman.

11. They are curious

curious woman who had an older brother Blue Bird from Pexels via Canva

Whether you want to admit it now or not, you probably wanted to copy everything your older brothers did. We all went through a phase where we thought everyone older than us was the coolest person on earth. You might have watched your siblings and tried to do everything they did, no matter what it was. Growing up like that, you are likely more curious than the average person. You wanted to learn the things your brothers did so you could be just like them.

One study found that older siblings help create family norms. If they were doing certain things, you might have become interested in them. You’d ask them to teach you, and whether they agreed or not, it still might have stuck with you. Now, you’re curious and ready to learn about anything.

Haley Van Horn is a freelance writer with a master’s degree in Humanities, living in Los Angeles. Her focus includes entertainment and lifestyle stories.