Feature
How Birth Order Affects Kids By Sarah Lyons
Have you ever thought about how your birth order affects your personality and how you interact with others? Birth order can play a huge role in what you consider to be your strengths and weaknesses and how you react to situations. While not every person fits the stereotypes of their birth order, you may find traits that fit yourself or your children very closely.
The First Born Child First borns are their parents one and only focus, at least for a short time, until a baby brother or sister comes along. Because of this, they are used to being the center of attention and may excel in school because they have had more one-onone time to work on skills with the help of their parents. Strengths: They are generally dependable, cautious, conscientious, high achievers, and responsible. Challenges: Because they are given more responsibility at a younger age, they may be controlling and bossy. They often develop a “Type A” personality and can be hard on themselves and others. They tend to be perfectionists and can develop a fear of failure that makes it hard to step out of their comfort zone. Parenting tips: Let your child know it is okay to make mistakes and that not everyone excels in every area. It’s also 20
Our Kids Magazine | July 2020
wise to make sure your expectations are age appropriate as parents often hold their first born child to a higher standard.
The Middle Child Middle children can often feel overlooked because they are stuck in between the over-achieving older sibling and the free-spirited and charming baby of the family. Feeling left out at home, middle children often seek out close relationships with friends and usually have a large social circle. Strengths: Middle children tend to be very social and are great peacemakers. They become good at negotiating and compromise and develop the ability to “go with the flow”. Challenges: It is never fun to feel left out or feel unimportant. This can lead to rebelliousness and feelings of inadequacy. Parenting tips: Encourage your middle child to pursue activities and interests that are unique to them. Make a point to spend a little extra one-on-one time with your middle child so that they don’t feel overlooked.
The Youngest Child The youngest child of the family usually reaps the benefits from extra parent attention as well as attention from older siblings. Parents may have also, sometimes unknowingly, loosened the rules since the older children were born so the Connect With US @ facebook.com/OurKidsMagazineSA
