Do you know any over-achievers? Do they seem responsible and in control? If the answers are yes, chances are that those people are the firstborn children in their family. Those people could also be only children. All individuals that fit into one of these categories are most likely to succeed. Firstborns tend to be high achievers and strive to meet near impossible goals. There is a multitude of traits that firstborn people tend to have. Alfred Alder writes in his article, Alfred Alder Research on Birth Order, that a couple examples of these traits are serious, directive, goal-oriented, aggressive, rule-conscious, competitive, high achieving, and responsible (Alder). Of course, this is a generalization. Not all firstborns bear these personality
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Lizette Borreli has an article that reveals how parents tend to invest more time in the firstborn child, whether it be playing with them, taking interest in their school work, or just spending quality time (Borreli). Disciplinal parenting can also play a role in achievement. Meri Wallace writes in her book, Birth Order Blues, that parents might, for example, deny the firstborn help with homework so they will become independent. As a result, this can lead to a more ambitious character in the firstborn (Wallace 17). Parents will also accidentally put more investment in the firstborn’s child hood. For example, the firstborn child tends to find themself with a bountiful supply of baby pictures, while the parents will spend less time taking pictures of the second or third born children. Less time is taken for the younger siblings because the parents become exhausted after the first kid. Maybe the parents keep a close watch over the firstborn and his or her school work. If the oldest kid slacks off, they will punish them to try and set an example for the younger kids. Eldest child excellence evolves into expectations that eventually turn into realities (Waldman). Joseph V. Hotz writes, “Call it ‘trickle down’ discipline- you put the most energy into the first-born, trying to set the tone for all” (Hotz). Parental investment time is greatly declining within birth order (Borreli). How does this affect the …show more content…
Younger siblings will sometimes idolize the oldest, making the firstborn take on a leadership role (Alder). The oldest child also tends to be more reliable and trustworthy. He or she is expected to look after the younger siblings, giving he or she a greater responsibility. Nannynet’s article, 10 Facts About Firstborn Children, says this can transform the firstborn into a reliable and dependable adult. Another trait firstborns can carry is the tendency to be people pleasers. They care more about what people think of them. The oldest can feel dethroned by younger siblings. As a result of this, he or she will try to please adults to gain acceptance. The oldest is less likely to rebel to attain this acceptance. “Because of their desire to please and determination to succeed, older kids tend to be more self motivated than their younger siblings and require less encouragement to work towards the goals they’ve set for themselves” (“10 Facts About Firstborn Children”). [Figure 1 shows how siblings can be labeled by birth order.]Numerous people in the world who are attributed with great accomplishments were firstborns or only children. World leaders tend to be firstborns. Examples include more than half of the United States presidents, every United States astronaut, and most Nobel Prize winners. Some firstborns who have achieved accomplishments were: Bill and Hillary Clinton, George
Lizette Borreli has an article that reveals how parents tend to invest more time in the firstborn child, whether it be playing with them, taking interest in their school work, or just spending quality time (Borreli). Disciplinal parenting can also play a role in achievement. Meri Wallace writes in her book, Birth Order Blues, that parents might, for example, deny the firstborn help with homework so they will become independent. As a result, this can lead to a more ambitious character in the firstborn (Wallace 17). Parents will also accidentally put more investment in the firstborn’s child hood. For example, the firstborn child tends to find themself with a bountiful supply of baby pictures, while the parents will spend less time taking pictures of the second or third born children. Less time is taken for the younger siblings because the parents become exhausted after the first kid. Maybe the parents keep a close watch over the firstborn and his or her school work. If the oldest kid slacks off, they will punish them to try and set an example for the younger kids. Eldest child excellence evolves into expectations that eventually turn into realities (Waldman). Joseph V. Hotz writes, “Call it ‘trickle down’ discipline- you put the most energy into the first-born, trying to set the tone for all” (Hotz). Parental investment time is greatly declining within birth order (Borreli). How does this affect the …show more content…
Younger siblings will sometimes idolize the oldest, making the firstborn take on a leadership role (Alder). The oldest child also tends to be more reliable and trustworthy. He or she is expected to look after the younger siblings, giving he or she a greater responsibility. Nannynet’s article, 10 Facts About Firstborn Children, says this can transform the firstborn into a reliable and dependable adult. Another trait firstborns can carry is the tendency to be people pleasers. They care more about what people think of them. The oldest can feel dethroned by younger siblings. As a result of this, he or she will try to please adults to gain acceptance. The oldest is less likely to rebel to attain this acceptance. “Because of their desire to please and determination to succeed, older kids tend to be more self motivated than their younger siblings and require less encouragement to work towards the goals they’ve set for themselves” (“10 Facts About Firstborn Children”). [Figure 1 shows how siblings can be labeled by birth order.]Numerous people in the world who are attributed with great accomplishments were firstborns or only children. World leaders tend to be firstborns. Examples include more than half of the United States presidents, every United States astronaut, and most Nobel Prize winners. Some firstborns who have achieved accomplishments were: Bill and Hillary Clinton, George