As an older child, I've always known that I was different from my younger brother.
Even though we were both raised by the same parents, my brother and I have grown up to be wildly different types of people. I'm a little more "Type A," while he is a little more rebellious. I've heard that your birth order or the type of family you grow up in can shape who you are as an adult. I just never realized how true that was.
Medical Daily writer Lizette Borreli shares a 2014 study from the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex that found that birth order does effect your personality. She writes, "Although siblings share the same genes, they have different traits and characteristics that set them apart."
When I scrolled through and saw just how much my personality was effected by being the oldest child, I couldn't believe it!
Was your personality type as spot on as mine was? Let us know in the comments.
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Are you an oldest child, a middle child, a youngest child, an only child, or from a large family? Scroll through to see what your birth order and family type says about your personality!
Are You The Oldest Child?
As the oldest of the family, you are a born leader with a knack for success. You strive for perfection and take pride in your strong abilities.
While some people think that as a first born you are overly aggressive, this is not necessarily true. You lean more toward being reliable and conscientious. Dr. Kevin Leman, author of The Birth Order Book, writes, "Clearly, firstborns are natural leaders." He goes on to say that first born children are "perfectionists who don't like surprises."
You are goal-oriented and always strive for greatness. This probably explains why more than half of all U.S. presidents have been first-born children.
Be careful of your perfectionist nature though. Not everyone is as achievement-oriented as you are, so be sure to practice patience when working with others. Now may even be a good time to try letting someone else take the reins for a change: Let a friend or coworker take charge of a mutual project — you may find allowing others to lead to be a welcome change for you.
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Are You The Middle Child?
As a middle child, you are the most complex of all. You are very savvy, seeing all sides of a situation. This ability has made you empathetic and caring to all.
There are a lot of misconceptions about being a middle child, such as that you were neglected or overlooked growing up, giving you a more negative outlook. Katrin Schumann, co-author of The Secret Power of Middle Children, writes, "Middles are not embittered wallflowers — they are social beings and great team players. If middles are so resentful and bitter, why are they more cooperative and trusting in their friendships?"
In fact, cooperation is the name of the game. As a middle child, you are a great negotiator and very good at listening. This probably explains why middle-child Abraham Lincoln was such a successful president.
As a middle, though, you may have lower self esteem than those around you. Now may be the perfect time to give yourself a dose of self-confidence. Ask for that raise you've been wanting, or stand up to that acquaintance that has been picking on you. Confidence is the name of the game.
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Are You The Youngest Child?
As a younger child, you are a risk taker. You are willing to go out on a limb, although this sometimes can get you into trouble. Having older siblings who took care of you growing up, you don't have the same fear that others do when approaching new challenges.
People often think that as the "baby of the family" the youngest isn't able to take care of themselves. On the contrary, while you may not take on as much responsibility or help out as much, you are definitely an independent spirit and you like to forge your own path.
Psychologies Magazine writes, "The youngest children are more likely to question the order of things, and develop a 'revolutionary personality'. Many last-borns choose a completely different path than their older siblings to avoid direct competition."
As a youngest, you may not help others very much. Now might be a good time to try your hand at volunteering or to reach out to a friend in need. Strengthening your empathy for those around you will only make you a better person.
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Are You An Only Child?
As an only child, you can have a lot in common with firstborns. Similarly, you are a hard-working leader who strives for perfection in your life. However, your unique position as being the sole child in the house gave you a large amount of maturity at an early age.
With your extreme maturity comes a sophistication that not many others possess. You are classier than your friends and may not enjoy off-color humor. That's not to say you don't like a good joke. You just lean more towards sarcasm and intellectual humor.
Being an only child has helped gain you adult friendships. Dr. Carl E. Pickhardt, author of Surviving Your Child's Adolescence, writes, "Only children often want and win a close circle of friends partly doing so to create a sense of sibling family that he or she never had."
Because you never had to worry about competition or sibling conflict growing up, you may not know the best way to deal with it. You may have trouble living with a roommate or partner. Now would be a good time to work on your relationships and focus on striking a give-and-take balance.
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Do You Have A Lot Of Siblings?
As someone who comes from a big family, you have had to develop a lot of patience. You're use to having to wait your turn and divide things up fairly. This has given you a deep sense of fairness that you have carried into your adult life.
Psychologist Dr. Vivian Diller writes, "No doubt, bigger does not necessarily mean better, but large families can teach us important lessons. There are the compromises, the necessary patience, and a constant sense that life has to be divvied up."
You are great at sharing and this has likely made your adult relationships much stronger. You are easy to live with and are conscientious of creating a living environment that makes everybody happy. Used to not getting 100% of what you wanted growing up, you are always willing to look for a compromise.
One of the disadvantages of growing up with so many siblings is that you may have missed out on some of the personal love and attention. But it is never too late for you to realize just how special you are as an individual. Make a list of the things you love about yourself and meditate on it. Without having to even look too hard, you could come up with quite a long list.
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