I’ll try to make this as simple as I can. The only ones who should have to think about their choice will be those who grew up in a family of 4 or more children, in which case you should choose either the “older cohort” or “younger cohort” option. Example: you were born 3rd in a family of seven: you thus will choose the “older cohort” choice. If you were 4th of 7 you are a middle child.
In addition, you may pontificate on whether you fit the prototypical birth order personality types, if you put any stock into same (there’s been a lot of debate and studies done on the issue, which remains contentious).
I’m the oldest of three. I don’t remember what birth order studies say about the eldest child but I know my parents were deceived because I was a pretty easy baby and kid and my sister was not.
I gotta say … just stating what number you are in the lineup doesn’t really tell the whole truth.
For example … let’s say you’re male and have an older sister (3 years older, let’s say) and a younger sister (4 years younger, suppose). You may be a middle child, but you’re a firstborn son as well so you’re probably going to have a LOT of the same qualities as a firstborn.
If you’re the youngest of 6 and you were a menopause baby you may be the “baby” of the family, but if your next oldest sibling is 17 years older … you may as well be an only child.
Even if the gap isn’t THAT extreme, any time you have 5 years or more between siblings you basically have two only children under the same roof.
Just sayin’ …
I am the youngest of two children, but my birth certificate said my delivered two children before I was born. And my sisters birth certificate (same doctor and hospital) said there was one delivery before she as born. Dad says that they are wrong, that it probably counts the miscarriage Mom had (but it wouldn’t be unlike him to lie about something like that). Mom died before I ever saw my real birth certificate. One day I am going to find out.
Younger of two, 2 years apart. I conform to one stereotype: I was always my mom’s fave, always getting the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, that also meant my mom treated me like a child even in the teen years–she called me “baby” even into my twenties!
I also fought all the time with my elder sister. I’ve noticed all my relatives with a boy younger than the girl also had a lot of sibling infighting. Is this a stereotype too?
I’m the oldest of two. And utterly unsurprised that over 50% of responders are oldest or only children.
I once read a book about birth order, and the author described an experiment they’d done: he gathered up a large amount of people, and grouped them for mingling purposes by oldest/only, middle, and youngest children; people drifted into smaller groups which was okay. Then he had someone go around the room and place pieces of paper on the floor face down. The oldest/only groups were the first to pick the papers up and read them, learning that it was instructions for an activity. The middle groups soon followed suit a few minutes later. Everyone else was already involved in the activity before any of the youngest groups even noticed that there was paper on the floor. So…I’m wagering that the last surge of votes in this poll will come from youngest dopers
I’m the oldest of three living children (my first younger sister died when I was 2 and she was 1), and my second younger sister was a challenge. I had been a very easy baby. My sisters were not. The first one was sick with leukemia for most of her short life, and the second one has always been very strongwilled. If I was told to do something, I’d do it without question, until I was a teen. My second younger sister, on the other hand, would make it a point to NOT do something, or to do the opposite, if at all possible.
Firstborn of 5. After years of hearing “You’re the oldest, you should set the example” I decided to join the Navy. Guess how many of my sibs followed my example. Go ahead - guess!
It’s nearly 40 years since I struck out on my own. All four of them still live within the major metropolitan area where we grew up. Except for a less-than-3-year tour of duty near my hometown, I’ve never lived closer than 2 hours away. Guess I suck at setting the example…
