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First born
If you're the oldest child, you might have to take on more responsibility
than your younger siblings, as well as behaving responsibly and
‘setting examples.’ On top of this, you may also have to deal with
high expectations from your parents, because let’s face it, you're
their guinea pig and they want you to do well. The plus side of
being given more responsibility is that if you handle it well, you'll
gain the trust and respect of your parents, which you can use as
a bargaining tool. The positive thing about them wanting the best
for you is that they'll give you lots of support and attention.
However, if you're finding the burden of being first-born too much,
you must let them know how you feel.
In the middle
Middle child syndrome (yes, it has a name) can mean feeling sandwiched
between two other ‘more important’ people – an older sibling who
gets all the rights and is treated like an adult, and a younger
sibling who gets all the privileges and is treated like a spoilt
kid. This can leave you feeling insignificant and unloved. From
your parents’ perspective, they’d probably feel horrified to know
you feel this way, so it’s important you let them know. On the plus
side, middle children are thought to become brilliant diplomats
– the lack of having your parents all to yourself supposedly helps
you develop excellent negotiating powers!
Youngest child
If you're the last-born of the family, you're fortunate to have
lots of people around – parents and siblings – who are willing to
protect and care for you. However, like many last-born children,
you might complain of feeling ‘babied.’ Being the youngest in the
family can sometimes be a stifling and frustrating experience, especially
if you're looking to be taken seriously and treated like an adult.
Don't go ignored, if this is the case. Only by expressing how you
feel will things change. Speak up now, and if you're not taken seriously,
keep speaking up until everyone takes notice.
Only child
As an only child, you'll probably benefit from some wonderfully
undivided attention from your parents, be made to feel very special
and maybe even a little spoilt, but not necessarily! The drawback
is that you might suffer occasional pangs of jealousy and loneliness
when your mates discuss their siblings and family life. While you
can't force your parents to have more kids, you can talk to them
about your feelings, and make a concerted effort to build up relationships
with your extended family or friends. There's absolutely nothing
to say that you can't be as close to a cousin, neighbour or friend
as you can to a brother or sister.
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