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 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

baby of the family may get away with more (or at least that’s how the older children view it). Youngest are often comfortable being the class clown and love to show off and make people laugh.

Strengths - Youngest children are typically natural charmers and have an outgoing personality. Many comedians and actors are youngest children. They are often risk takers and described as fearless.

Challenges - Parents may react less to accomplish- ments because they have seen it before and therefore the youngest child may feel like nothing is ever good enough. Parents can also have the tendency to coddle the young- est child, giving them less chores and responsibility and holding them to a lower standard than older kids.

Parenting tips: Encourage your youngest child to be independent and learn to do things on their own. This will help build their self confidence and teach responsibil- ity. Charismatic younger children love a chance to put their charms to good use. If this describes your child, consider what extracurricular activities might help them develop these gifts.

The Only Child

The only child and the oldest child have some similar traits because both have the parents undivided attention and love. Where the oldest child is eventually “dethroned” by the younger siblings, an only child has the benefit of one-on-one attention indefinitely. Dr. Kevn Leman, author of “The Birth Order Book: Why You Are the Way You Are” calls the only child a “super oldest child” because they develop similar traits as the oldest but to the extreme.

Strengths - Only children possess many of the traits that oldest children do (responsible, conscientious, perfectionist) but in addition they tend to be creative, more comfortable talking to adults than their peers, resourceful, and independent.

Challenges - Because they are the only child in the family they do not have the chance to work on negotiat- ing, compromise, sharing, flexibility, and other things that come naturally when you interact with siblings. They may also feel lonely because they don’t always have another child to play with.

Parenting tips: Encourage relationships with other children to build social skills with peers and give the only child the chance to experience situations that will help them learn flexibility and compromise.

It’s easy to see these traits as you observe your own family of origin and your children and how they react to each other. As you consider each person in relation to their birth order, consider their strengths and challenges as you discipline your kids, interact with them, and encourage them in the things they love.

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5 Calorie Burning Home Activities

Engaging in activities that raise your heart rate burns calories, improves circulation, and lowers your blood pressure. There are a number of at-home activities that can get your heart pumping and help keep you active and healthy. To help you get moving at home, the health experts at Envolve, an integrated healthcare solutions company, have put together five house and yard work activities that can improve your health.

1. Go For Gardening. Tending to a garden is a great way to enhance your overall health and get outdoors. Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity weeding, mulching, hoeing, or harvesting can help you meet the level of recommended daily exercise. Spending time surrounded by plants and green space is also a therapeutic way to reduce stress and anxiety. Plus, the extra time spent in the sun can increase vitamin D levels improving your mood and keeping your immune system strong.

2. Complete Chores. Sweeping, mopping, or vacuuming the floor is also a productive way to get off the couch and get moving. With the potential to burn more than 200 calories per hour, these chores help you get your steps in and tidy up at the same time. Even scrubbing the bathroom or washing the windows are great ways to shed calories, plus you might tone your arm muscles, as well. Car looking a little dingy? Try scrubbing it by hand to turn your chore into a workout.

3. Wrap Up Yard Work. Manicuring your lawn includes many high-intensity actions that can help you lose almost as many calories as you would at the gym. Digging and raking can really work up a sweat. In addition, mowing your lawn using a push mower builds cardiovascular endurance that can help reduce blood pressure.

4. Perform Upgrades. An elevated heart rate burns calories, so pull out plans for your next home improvement project and do-it-yourself. Activities like painting a room, tiling a floor, or staining a fence can get your heart pumping. These projects won’t take the place of a full workout, but they are still beneficial to your health. Plus, when you’re done you will be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

5. Participate in Play. Playing with your kids or pets is a great way to burn calories. Try enjoying a game of tag or catch in the backyard, and you all will get the heart-healthy benefits of the activity and the added advantage of being in the fresh air. A game of fetch with your dog is an aerobic exercise for both of you and can boost your health and your mood.

Envolve, Inc.® is a family of health solutions, working together to make healthcare simpler, more effective and more accessible for everyone. As an agent for change in healthcare, Envolve is committed to transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. Envolve unifies specialty pharmacy, PBM, vision, dental, 24/7 nurse advice services, MSO solutions, and more. For more information, visit website www.envolvehealth.com