Birth Order January 16, 2008. Targets For Today: Describe birth order and how it affects relationships with others Question whether or not birth order.

Birth Order

January 16, 2008

Targets For Today:

Describe birth order and how it affects relationships with others

Question whether or not birth order research matches your own unique personality

Birth Order

Birth order refers to the order in which you were born among your siblings.

Many believe that the order in which you were born among brothers and sisters influences how you develop.

Though birth order gives us clues about our behavior, it is not always accurate.

What if?

What if there are 5 years separating you from your sibling?

You can be characterized as an only child or first born sometimes having both only child and first born child characteristics.

Who do You Think You Are?

1. Manipulative, charming, blames others, shows off, people person, good salesperson, precocious.

2. Mediator, fewest pictures in the family photo album, avoids conflict, independent, extreme loyalty to the peer group, many friends

3. Perfectionist, reliable, list-maker, well-organized, critical, serious, scholarly

The Results

If you are most like number…

1. You may be the youngest child in the family.

2. You may be the middle child in the family.

3. You may be the first born child in the family.

What do you think?

Activity

Get into groups with your classmates depending on your birth order. Brainstorm together and come up with why it is

cool to be in your birth order and what stinks about being in your birth order.

Write down your ideas on the poster paper in each group.

Share with class.

Feelings of First Born Children

"Everyone depends on me." "I can't get away with anything." "I don't get to be a kid." "Why do I have to do it? Nobody else does

anything around here." "How come I'm responsible for what my

little brother or sister did?"

First Born

Personality Traits Confident Determined Born leader Organized Eager to please Likes to avoid trouble

Feelings of Middle Children

"I'm tired of being left out of things." "Nobody understands me!" "Nobody ever listens to me!" "I'm always in the shadow of my older

sister/brother." "My youngest brother/sister gets away

with everything."

Middle

Personality Traits Roll with it Great negotiator Lots of loyal friends

Feelings of Youngest Children

"I have to work hard to get other people to pay attention to me!"

"Nobody takes me seriously." "Everyone treats me like I'm younger than

I am."

Youngest

Personality Traits Persistent Great story teller Affectionate

Feelings of Only Children

"I didn't do as well as I should have." "Sometimes I feel lonely." "I would be much happier with a brother or

sister." "I'm not getting enough attention."

Only Children

Personality Traits: Confident Pays attention to detail Good in school It’s MINE! Overly critical

Famous People

First Born Children: Bill Cosby, George W. Bush, Hilary Rodham

Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and Jessica Simpson.Middle Born Children:

Jay Leno, Donald Trump, Susan B. Anthony, Barbara Walters

Famous People

Youngest Children: Drew Carey, Jim Carey, Eddie Murphy,

Cameron Diaz, Whoopi GoldbergOnly Children:

Robert DeNiro, Natalie Portman, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Tiger Woods and Charlize Theron

Why?

On a separate sheet of paper that you will be turning in for credit, answer:

Why does it matter? Will this information benefit me and my relationships with others?

Do you agree or disagree with your characteristics of your birth order? Why?

Why Does this Matter?

Parents should attempt to help each child to see themselves as unique individuals and avoid comparisons with siblings or others.  

For Additional Information

You can go to: http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpu

bs/4359.htm

http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/family/birthorder/