A lot of experts believe that birth order significantly affects people’s natures and their relationships with others. Apparently, it determines most of one’s choices later in life and significantly influences life in general.
Although parents love all their children equally, they raise them in a slightly different way. Between the next births, they’re at different stages in life, have different expectations and resources as well. It also affects the children’s personalities, and the role they take on in childhood, will influence the rest of their lives.
1. The eldest child – a natural born leader
Parents usually demand the most from the eldest child. They were the first to come into the world and they received the most attention. They didn’t have to compete with anyone or ask for anyone’s interest in them. When the family is blessed with a second child, the older one becomes jealous, and tries to regain their position.
Later, they’re the one who’s responsible for their younger brother or sister. Oftentimes, they’re a role model for their younger siblings. With time, their role changes into that of a guardian, helping their siblings with schoolwork and other responsibilities. Being a mentor, one becomes a mini leader gives advice to others on what to do and feels a certain amount of power at the same time.
Psychologists have found that it’s the first-born children who have the greatest potential and are more confident than their siblings. Qualities of leadership dominate among boys, while girls are good at taking care of others. This is what can be observed later in in their lives as well. Older children can brag about great organizational abilities and skills to better cope with problems.
They’re more intelligent than their siblings. Research conducted by Norwegian scientists has shown that first-borns are smarter by about 2.3 IQ points from the rest of their siblings. The second child has a 1.1 point IQ advantage over the next children.
They have a great chance to succeed (more than half the presidents of the United States were eldest sons). Also, presidents of large companies and corporations are mostly the eldest from the family.
Are you an only child, the second or the youngest child? On the following pages you’ll find the defining characteristics of your nature.