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Is birth order important to your nutshell?
Family & Parenting / 2:48 AM - Friday July 10, 2009

Is birth order important to your nutshell?

Do you think birth order has a lot to do with how people's personalities develop? I do!
My husband and I are both first borns. We are both perfectionists and high achievers.

- Asked by cakelady, A Cool Mom, Female, 46-55, Denver, Self-Employed

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I am the youngest of two. My older brother was an over-achiever and very successful. I was the Class Clown and rebel. I didn't do poorly but compared to my brother I am definitely an under achiever.

- Response by meowmeowww, A Thinker, Female, 36-45, San Francisco, Technical

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I too believe in the birth order having significant affect on the child going into adulthood.

I was the oldest and my sister the youngest. I was aggressive and outgoing; her shy and introverted. And, it is consistent all the way down the characteristics.

- Response by randyl, A Thinker, Female, 36-45, Los Angeles, Consulting

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Honestly, I'm not sure. I am the younger of two girls.

My older sister was a better student and she was also expected to help more around the house and watch me on occasion but she was an introvert and I was much more outgoing and had more friends and outside interests from sports to dance to Band to Drama classes to paying jobs to volunteerism to helping with the livestock/farm chores and other outside interests, so, I wasn't expected to do as much IN the house. Hell, from 14-Graduation, I was barely home.

I joined the military right after H.S. and she stayed at home until she died from cancer at 30. She never traveled, she never married or had children. She didn't have friends or outside interests and she never dated until she got to college and then there were few dates.
I've had a very interesting life.

Did birth order play a part in that or was it just a personality difference? Granted, she didn't have the option after her late '20s but there were significant differences before that and btw, I'm an Achiever and a Perfectionist.





- Response by jenny12, A Thinker, Female, 46-55, Other Profession

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Yes, I am first born with those exact characteristics. I am perfectionist on most things except housework. I wa son the radio at age 18, and a screen writer and narrator at age 15 for Public Tv. My youngest sister was jealous, and started to compete, and follow my lead. But she is sneaky, and has done some criminal things she has gotten away with (forgeries, ID theft). It is sad-- she is the youngest and greediest.

- Response by travelchic, A Creative, Female, 29-35, Self-Employed

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I'm not sure how true birth order sciences are. Cause if perfectionism is supposed to be for first borns and shy and introverted for the baby of the family then I'm at opposing ends. Cause I'm an only for my mom and the 4th child and only daughter for my dad. I think it has more to do with how the kids are raised up though. Cause I have heard from friends and other women they are more active in rushing to meet the first born child's needs and put alot of expectations on them if there are younger siblings. While with middle to younger kids the parents are more relaxed with them.

- Response by CursedRomantic, A Thinker, Female, 22-25, Columbus, Student

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My brother is the first born and he is a over achiever. and im the rebellious introverted youngest child.

- Response by carolcarr, A Thinker, Female, 22-25, Tampa

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I am the oldest of my mother's children, the youngest of my father's and the only child of both of them. I was raised as the oldest so I am definitely a high achiever.

- Response by livestolaugh, A Thinker, Female, 46-55, Managerial

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All I know is - they call the firstborn the "hero" child, and I think that is VERY true. The next one is called the "squeezed" child, and of course the baby in the family is called the "baby". It seemed to fit my family. But the real hero was my son, who lived with three sisters. They say those are the ones who make the best husbands. And he was. As for the girls, they all made wonderful wives and mothers. As for me, I was "squeezed" in between two brothers, an older one and a younger one. It made me a very good sister. :-)

- Response by parent123, A Thinker, Female, 66 or older

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No I don't really. I'm the oldest of two girls and people always assume that I am a middle child for some reason.

- Response by poisonrogue, An Alternative Girl, Female, 22-25, Who Cares?

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