Birth Order

Lunch tiiiiime!

Today’s lunch was a yummy one, thanks to the use of a Thomas’ everything-flavored thin bagel.

Everything-flavored thin bagels are the only thin bagels I enjoy. They have so much flavor and are doughy and delicious. Just like sandwich thins.

I ate the bagel thin topped with a slice of Muenster cheese and a side of cucumber and green pepper slices.

Along with my veggies and bagelwich, I also had a cup of Fage Greek yogurt, sweetened with a scoop of chocolate instant pudding mix for some yogurt mousse! 😀

YUM.

Now on to a fun discussion…

Birth Order

During the month of September, there were about a billion birthdays at my work. I’m not lying when I say that at least two birthdays popped up every week, and our office isn’t that big!

Needless to say, lots of discussion about birthdays and birth order occurred.

I am the older of two girls in my family. In my psychology class in college, I was fascinated by the discussion about the impact of birth order on a person’s personality.

The more I learned about the characteristics of the first born, the more I fit the bill.

According to an article published by Judith Graham, extension human development specialist, common traits associated with the first born include:

• Perfectionist
• Reliable
• Conscientious
• List-makers
• Well-organized
• Critical
• Serious
• Scholarly
• Achiever
• Self-sacrificing
• People-pleaser
• Conservative
• Supporter of law and order
• Believer in authority and ritual
• Legalistic
• Loyal
• Self-reliant

The article notes that characteristics associated with middle-born children are often the varied and contradictory and may include:

• Mediator
• One who avoids conflict
• Independent and extremely loyal to a peer group
• Shy and quiet or friendly and outgoing
• Impatient and easily frustrated or laid back, taking life in stride
• Competitive or very easygoing
• “Black sheep”  of the family or peacemaker
• Value friendships
• Compromising

It was interesting to read that the author claims middle children are often influenced significantly by the first born, stating, “the second born will be most directly influenced by the first born and the third born will be most directly influenced by the second born… If the second born senses he can compete with the older sibling, he may do so. But if the older sibling is stronger, smarter, etc., the second born typically shoots off in another direction. The general conclusion of all research studies done on birth order is that second-borns will probably be somewhat the opposite of the firstborns.”

The article then addresses last-borns, or the babies of the family, who often exude the following traits:

• Outgoing charmers
• Personable manipulators
• Affectionate
• Uncomplicated
• Sometimes a little absent-minded
• Carefree
• Vivacious
• People person
• Rebellious
• Temperamental
• Spoiled
• Impatient

Finally, the article touches on only children, noting the following characteristics:

• Share all of the traits of the first born
• Everybody’s rescuer
• Objective
• May be critical or cold-blooded
• Agonizes over the problems of others

When I looked at the characteristics associated with my birth order, I found myself nodding my head, for better or worse. I am definitely a people-pleaser (sometimes to a fault), self-reliant (I really value my alone time and independence) and well-organized. I also find myself abiding by the rules and am often overly critical of myself.

As I read the traits associated with the last-borns, my sister fits most characteristics as well. She’s definitely a people person, vivacious and affectionate… and also sometimes a bit absent minded (well, I think I have that trait, too… maybe because we’re blondes? 😉 ).

Question of the Afternoon

Do you think that you and your birth order fit the descriptions listed above? Do your siblings or children?