Siblings

Siblings

Firstborn children

The first born child is more intelligent than his or her siblings partly because of the exclusive attention he / she got from his or her parents. The firstborn benefits tremendously from all this attention and grows up feeling self-confident.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/social-instincts/201507/yet-another-reason-why-it-s-good-be-first-born-child https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/how-raise-happy-cooperative-child/201301/eight-steps-raising-happy-first-born https://www.psychologies.co.uk/birth-order-effect http://www.ted.com/talks/jeffrey_kluger_the_sibling_bond.html from minute 11.

One of the most positive experiences a first born child receives is nurturing a younger sibling. This experience expands his or her ability to love and to be sensitive to other people's needs.

Tip for parents: Show your older child photos or videos of how you cared for her when she was little, so she knows she had the same loving attention. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-raise-happy-cooperative-child/201605/the-effect-birth-order-children https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/how-raise-happy-cooperative-child/201301/eight-steps-raising-happy-first-born

Parents want their firstborn to be a success. Because of this wish, they may criticize him or her. As a result, the firstborn child can end up feeling pressured to succeed and become a perfectionist – often equating love with success.

Tip for parents: Avoid pressuring your firstborn child to be perfect. Show him or her unconditional love. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-raise-happy-cooperative-child/201605/the-effect-birth-order-children

The oldest child receives most of the parents’ attention and is likely to feel responsible towards their younger siblings, which is reflected in their perfectionism, hard-

working attitude and conscientiousness.

https://theconversation.com/are-firstborns-really-natural-leaders-126215

Firstborns are more open-minded, more conscientious and more extraverted than their younger siblings.

https://theconversation.com/are-firstborns-really-natural-leaders-126215

Parents tend to be stricter in their parenting with the firstborn child and encourage toughness. Why? Because parents find that firstborns need to act as role models for their later-born siblings.

https://theconversation.com/are-firstborns-really-natural-leaders-126215

Being the firstborn child causes parents to become very attentive and stringent with rules. This may force the firstborn child to become a perfectionist.

https://www.parents.com/baby/development/social/birth-order-and-personality/

Because they are more likely to have authority over younger siblings, firstborn children have a tendency to be bossy and want things to be done their way.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/mar/08/birth-order-identity

Middleborn children

Because middle children are, literally, stuck in the middle, they tend to be good at negotiating and compromising.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/birth-order-personality_n_7206252 https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/siblings-birth-order-personality-youngest-eldest-first-born-middle-child-psychology-a8312541.html

Middleborn children learn how to constantly negotiate and compromise in order to “fit in” with everyone. Thereby, they develop a higher degree of agreeableness in their personalities – compared with firstborn and lastborn children.

https://www.parents.com/baby/development/social/birth-order-and-personality/

Middle children rely more heavily on relationships with their peers than with family, as they see outsiders meeting their needs for emotional support.

Thereby, middle children will have a tendency to create strong friendships and become good team players.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/field-guide-families/201210/the-secret-powers-middle-children https://www.rd.com/culture/middle-child-traits/ http://www.ted.com/talks/jeffrey_kluger_the_sibling_bond.html, minute 11.

Middle children can be competitive.

Why? Because they do not have the time on their own with their parents that oldest children enjoy, and their role as the baby of the family is supplanted. So they have to find other ways of getting their parents' attention.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/mar/08/birth-order-identity

Lastborn children

Because last born children are the weakest among siblings, they develop the ability to charm. That helps them not to get pushed around.

Thanks to their creativity and charm, many youngest siblings work in entertainment or sales.

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/siblings-birth-order-personality-youngest-eldest-first-born-middle-child-psychology-a8312541.html https://www.insider.com/birth-order-personality-types-2017-4#as-adults-the-carefree-youngest-children-turn-into-great-charmers-6 http://www.ted.com/talks/jeffrey_kluger_the_sibling_bond.html, minute 11.

The baby of the family tends to be more creative, wilder,

free-spirited, fun loving, rebellious, self-centered, and attention-seeking.

Why? Because parents have already gone through the process of raising a child and therefore have become more comfortable and more laissez-faire in their role as parents. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/birth-order-personality_n_7206252 https://www.parents.com/baby/development/social/birth-order-and-personality/ http://www.ted.com/talks/jeffrey_kluger_the_sibling_bond.html, minute 11.

Younger siblings might earn better grades, because they receive

mentoring from firstborns who already had to tackle certain subjects.

https://www.livescience.com/6852-birth-order-affects-childs-intelligence-personality.html

The most common favourite of fathers is the last born daughter.

The mother and father each favour the opposite gender child, particularly if the personality of the child resembles the personality of the mother or father respectively.

Source Jeffrey Kluger: The sibling bond. http://www.ted.com/talks/jeffrey_kluger_the_sibling_bond.html, minute 11.