Birth Order
...ssive, goal- oriented, etc. The main reasons for these traits are caused by siblings and parents. A lot of times a firstborn is responsible because his parents expect a lot out of him, somewhat like only children. They are put under a lot of pressure to be perfect because their parents have very high expectations of them. Firstborns are jealous of their siblings. Most of the time when a child is born after them in the family, they feel the need to prove their status, which also brings out aggression. A lot of times they are goal-oriented because they have high standards for themselves. They learn to set standards even higher than those of their parents so they know they will not fail. The relationship between firstborns and their parents is very intense. Parents have very high expectations of firstborns, which puts them under a large amount of pressure. Although firstborns feel pressured by their parents, they still have a healthy relationship with them. When a child lives up to his parents' expectations, he feels very special, and proud. He then learns what his parents and teachers expect of him, which causes him to set higher standards than that of which they have set for him. The relationship between firstborns and their siblings is not very good. Sibling rivalry does not even begin to explain how firstborns feel about a newborn sister or brother. Different people respond to this differently. Some respond with aggression, some respond by doing good, and some respond with a mixture of feeling. Most of the time the first born will torment his sibling because he is jealous. This does not stop the younger sibling from idolizing his older brother, or sister. Most of the time a firstborn will be looked upon as an idol to his younger siblings, and sometimes even the protector of the neighborhood. The middle child sometimes feels out of place, or invisible. This is because they are not usually the biggest and the strongest, nor are they the "baby" who gets pampered. Middle children reach to a small group of friends for comfort, especially during adolescence. They are also strongly influenced by their peers during this period of time because they feel as if they are the only people they have to look to. Middle children have been known to be rebellious because they feel unloved, or left out in the family. By rebelling they simply refuse to meet their parents' expectations. Sometimes middle children take rebelling to an extreme and will do destructive things to get back at their parents. Middle children and their parents are not known to have a very intense relationship like that of the firstborn. Parents do not usually expect much out of middle children. This is a good thing because it allows them to feel free to follow their own path, but it may also lead them to feel misunderstood. The middle child is constantly struggling to be noticed, which is also a cause for their rebellious ways. One way a parent can help a middle child feel special is by noticing all of the good things he does, and showing that they care. The relationship between the middle child and his siblings is very competitive. The middle child usually competes with the older sibling to be bigger and better. Most of the time he will choose a risky sport that will get him noticed. The middle child also learns aggressive ways to get what he wants. They are usually good negotiators and know how to cooperate. Middle children have been known to take a genuine interest in getting to know people. There are several advantages and disadvantages of being the "baby" of the family. One main advantage is that the youngest children are always being fussed over and pampered. It is natural for parents to treat a young one with extra care, but lastborns have gotten to be known as spoiled. As a result of being spoiled and always getting what they want, lastborns are often very dependent when they grow up. They may also have problems committing to things and tend to be irresponsible as adults because they depended so much on others while growing up. Another dow...