What's your birth order?

This has probably been done before, but thought it would be fun to poll the group to see where the majority fall regarding birth order.

Because there could be so many choices (ex 2nd, 4th, adopted), I have entered only "oldest", "middle" and baby". If you fall into another category, select "other" and then post to explain.

I put "other" because I am an only child. Well I was until I was 10 and my mother remarried a man who had a daughter my age. In fact her birthday was only two days after mine.

I also chose other because I was an only child until my mother met an married her husband, they went on to have 5 children together. Was always made very clear to me, however, that I was NOT thier full sister an therefore wasn't considered the eldest

Another only child here. And I remained the only one; over the years, my family has shrunk, not grown.

Well, it wouldn't let me check all three because I am the oldest, middle and youngest since I am the only one!! So I checked other too. Whiterose, you left us out!!! ;)

I'm the baby, gotta love me!:D

Originally posted by peachy51
Well, it wouldn't let me check all three because I am the oldest, middle and youngest since I am the only one!! So I checked other too. Whiterose, you left us out!!! ;)

Sorry about that Peachy!! I always forget about that because I am one of 5 children. I should remember this though because my mother was an only child.

i'm the oldest

Other, I was the youngest til my father remarried, then I was 2nd out of 4

I'm the oldest of two.

I am the oldest. I have 2 younger sisters.

My sister is 15 years older than I am. She was out of the house by the time I was 3 so for all intensive purposes, I was pretty much an only child.

The oldest girl (but second in line).

I have an older brother, younger sister, and younger brother. There's also a half sister and step-siblings (but my father divorced my step-mother, so do I still have step-siblings?).

I don't want to sound like a complaining baby, but here's how my birth-order impacted my upbringing -

Being the oldest girl meant to my father that when my mother left, I had to stay home, clean, cook, shop, do laundry, etc. while my older brother was allowed to use my father's car and party whenever and however he wanted. If I ever asked for a break, I was a "problem." My younger sister and brother were just assumed to be too young to help at all and were told incessantly what a "problem" I was. My sibling order definitely had a huge impact on my life.

I'm still glad I'm a girl though.:)

Great article, Sally. I was relieved to know that being a middle child of a large family, I was able to make it somehow. :D

Youngest child in family.

Kye

I am the middle child! :mad:

My brother is 34, I'm 27, and my baby sis is 15. Yep, mama spread us out real good!

Of course all the crap falls on me as usual! :mad:

I am the youngest of two boys by 2 1/2. Oh the fights that occured!

Sally, why is our birth order allows attribute to some negatives to how we develop? Why can't these psychologist a say something positive about birth order?

I'm the youngest at 27yrs.
The're five of us.Two older brothers and two older sisters.In a way it's sorta neat.It goes female,male,female,male,and male.


Michael

oldest of five. :D

Eldest of four! Two other girls and one boy and my younger sister was a real spoiled little pest. :rolleyes:

I read a book a few years ago called the Birth Order Book by Dr. Kevin Leman, he is a social psychologist and has written lots of books on this subject and others.

Actually where you are born in the family doesnt necessarily mean you are a first, second or third born, etc. child. when you are studying this stuff....so I found this interesting.

For instance:

Im the youngest child of 7 children, but I am not the "baby" of the family according to birth order. I do not have "baby" child characteristics, in fact I have first born characteristics.

This is how it works. The first child is the first born be it girl or boy. After that if there is 3 years or more difference in ages, it is another first born, and so on. Sex change also makes it a first born.....so using my family has an example.

First born ---- boy

First born------girl

middle child ------girl (less than 3 years dif. in age from last child)

Baby------girl (not a first born, cause less than 3 years, but a baby because next child is a first born and parents were not going to have anymore (yeah riiiight)

First born ---- boy (between the baby and this child were 7 years)

First born ----- girl ( 7 years again and a sex change)

First born ----- girl (me, 4 years difference)

Without exception, in his book all of us have first born characteristics except the baby and the middle child even though they are older than me. It has to do with where you are born in the family, how old your parents were and other dynamics of the family, not necessarily the order in which you were born.

So to answer the question, I am the last born in the family, but I am a first born by birth order and personality characteristics.

What is odd, before I read about birth order, I used to always think my older sister acted more like the baby of the family than me....and I was right. lol

I am the "oldest" of two, also.

It was tough growing up......

and it's still tough.

No one seems to give the older child a break, and I was expected to be *the* role model for my younger brother. However, with the strict restrictions placed on me because I was a female put me in a catch22 situation. I wasn't allowed to do the things my parents gave my brother a free hand to do (he was allowed to be a MAN, if you get my drift) yet, I was expected to be an exemplary sister.

Needless to say, I failed at every turn.

My brother is a fiery LEO and we were like oil and water, we never mixed because we could not relate to each other.

And we still don't!

And my sweetie, Phil, is an only!

WR it might be interesting to see what the partners are as well. Cuz I think with Phil being a VYM part of his maturity is based on being an "only".

...Well, I'd like a cake. Well, actually a fruit basket tarte and a bunch of lovin from my sweetie! :p

I had to pick Other too. Mom didn't remarry until well after my father died, but since by that time I was in my 20's and pretty much on my own, I don't think gaining a 30-year-old stepbrother really counted as a sibling relationship. :)