A child's position in the family

I just read a book of "Why Firstborns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It." By Michael Grose.

The conclusion is :

-A child's position in the family impacts his personality, his behavior and his learning.

Firstborn

As the leader of the pack, firstborns often tend to be:

·         Reliable

·         Conscientious

·         Structured

·         Cautious

·         Controlling

·         Achievers

Firstborns bask in their parents' presence, which may explain why they sometimes act like mini-adults. Firstborns are diligent and want to be the best at everything they do. They excel at winning the hearts of their elders.

Famous firstborns: Oprah, Hillary Clinton, Winston Churchill, Sylvester Stallone and Bill Clinton.

Middle Child

In general, middle children tend to possess the following characteristics:

·         People-pleasers

·         Somewhat rebellious

·         Thrives on friendships

·         Has large social circle

·         Peacemaker

Famous middles: David Letterman, Richard Nixon, Madonna and Princess Diana.

Last Born

Youngest children tend to be the most free-spirited due to their parents' increasingly laissez-faire attitude towards parenting the second (or third, or fourth, or fifth...) time around. The baby of the family tends to be:

·         Fun-loving

·         Uncomplicated

·         Manipulative

·         Outgoing

·         Attention-seeker

·         Self-centered

Famous younglings: Jim Carrey, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, Cameron Diaz and Rosie O'Donnell.

Only Children

Being the only child is a unique position in a family. Without any siblings to compete with, the only child monopolizes his parents' attention and resources, not just for a short period of time like a firstborn, but forever. In effect, this makes an only child something like a "super-firstborn": only children have the privilege (and the burden) of having all their parents' support and expectations on their shoulders. Thus, only children tend to be:

·         Mature for their age

·         Perfectionists

·         Conscientious

·         Diligent

·         Leaders

Famous only children: Jack Welch, Tiger Woods, Alan Greenspan and Maria Sharapova.

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