Do you believe in birth order characteristics?
what people are talking about
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Us Girls..Our Views 
I suppose there probably are trends. But there are certainly exceptions. My brothers don’t really fit it. Of course, none of it matters with my kids since they both entered the family within the same hour.
I think birth order characteristics are a lot like the horoscopes, they seem to fit merely because they are just too darn general. I wonder where my daughter fits in….. she started life as the oldest child but after sibs death ended up being an only. What happens there? She got some chacteristics of the oldest (she’s responsible, looks out for others, etc), but shares some of the only as well. See what I mean? Just too general! 🙂 As for my grandkids, they REALLY flipflopped the whole thing!!!
I think I do believe in it and it can influence you for life!
I know I fit the oldest born to a tee!
I’m about half and half. I think there are certain aspects of birth order that can be true, but then are they true because of the order in which you were born, or because you’re looking at birth-order characteristics, and saying, “yeah, that fits me because I was born first/second/third”?
I see a lot of the “first born” characteristics in my oldest brother, but I have some of them, too, and I’m the third born. But then, there’s a large gap between my brothers and me, so would I be classified more as an only child, because they were out of the house when I was still young?
Like Phyllis said… I think they’re similar to horoscopes – you can find truth in them if you look for it, but you can also discredit them pretty easily.
I agree with Laura and Phyllis. Some characteristics fit each of us. I was reading the paper yesterday and it was saying that astrologers use the incorrect dates for the signs so most of us are really the sign ahead of us. Did that make sense?! I’m a Virgo, but should really be a Leo. Here’s the web address if you want to view the article. http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/style/113100139.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU totally off subject, but kinda interesting!
Well, hell, now I have to learn all about Saggitarious! See? I don’t even know how to SPELL it! Although I DO like the idea of being an Archer, as opposed to a Goat. Hmmm… I’m going to have to look into this.
That would explain Josh’s stubbornness… according to them, he should be a Leo, not a Virgo.
Interesting how we cling to some of these ideas. I’ve never *believed* in horoscopes, but then, I’ve never *not* believed in them, either, you know? ‘Course, I’ve never really seen an actual astrological chart prepared for me – I’ve always just checked out Glamour’s Horoscope, and taken what worked, and left the rest!
Not really. I guess certain things can come into play, the youngest being babied, can make them almost helpless as they get older. Sometimes. Sometimes the middle fights for attention which makes them attention seekers when they get older. Oldest, I don’t know…that can go a number of ways. I think it all depends on how they are raised, the household, how things are ran. I am the youngest, and I was certainly not babied. I think it varies for each family. But there are stereotypical characteristics that some do carry.
I do believe and know that a lot of the characteristics are very general but for some reason this subject fascinates me. I am a very true version of a first born and my brother is true of last born as well as my boys are. I’m way more serious and so is Jason. Darryl is more clownish and fun and so is Toby. I’ve also known many middle children who fought to find where they belonged. The middle children are really the ones who lose their spot. The first born is always the first born and the last born will always be the last born but the middle kid “was” the baby and now they’re not. I’ve known people who had a hard time with that. That’s one of the basic reasons I wanted an equal number of children. So they would have a sibling but nobody would be a middle child.
Basically, it’s not a science but others have said, it’s kinda fun.
I don’t know, Joy. I’m the middle child and I never needed to fight for attention or rights. Course I’m the only girl so maybe that plays in too. I actually considered the middle kind of a perk because I learned a lot by watching my older brother (mostly how to keep a low profile and not get caught, cause he ALWAYS got caught! LOL!) And I got to have fun even longer because my kid brother was 6 yrs. younger than me. We always had a ton of fun together, and that continued into our adult yrs. I’m blessed to share a good relationship with both bros. and we’re always, always there for each other. “)
See then “technically” Phylis, you were considered a last born if your brother was 6 years younger. If there’s 5 years or more between kids, it’s like they’re an only child because there’s not as much interaction.
That’s only according to Kevin Leman though and of course it’s not going to fit everyone.
Bailey is an only child, and he doesn’t fit the”only child” characteristics, besides being quite content by himself. I know a few, they are older now, and my goodness if my kid acted like that, boy…I’ll tell ya! LOL
I am the oldest and seem to “fit” the characteristics of the “oldest.” But, MY oldest child does not. Go figure.
As a middle child, the last thing I have ever sought was attention. I used to sit under the end tables and behind chairs, so I could better fade into the woodwork. I’d say that was also true of other “middle kids” in my family. Granted, we are introverts.
As for the “baby” stuff, you could say I have two baby sisters (one was born 7 years before the next kid). The first “baby” fit the stereotype better than the second one. Youngest was a total daddy’s girl, but has always had a strong personality. She could kick my ass pretty easily.
My oldest bro is the “leader” type, but also the “clown” type. Not the most responsible of us, but he definitely holds his own.
It’s fun, how my kids don’t fit into any stereotype. We just have to keep forging our own path. Keeps me on my toes.