How birth order affects personality and how the new royal baby could be the party child
Whether you are the firstborn, middle child or youngest in the family, some psychologists say it can have a big impact on your personality and behaviour
THE Duchess of Cambridge has gone into labour and we will soon have a new little prince or princess.
The baby will be Kate and Wills’ third child after Prince George, four, and Princess Charlotte, two, and it has been suggested that birth order can dramatically affect your personality.
According to Dr Kevin Leman, who wrote The Birth Order Book: Why You Are The Way You Are, third or last born children are the most “sociable and outgoing”.
They tend to be the most free-spirited due to the parents’ increasingly carefree approach to parenting.
They are also the most financially irresponsible of all birth orders and can be manipulative but charming.
The psychologist believes that the youngest members of the household are forced to use their minds to get their own way in the family, even though the eldest are often considered the smartest.
YOUNGEST CHILD TYPICAL TRAITS
- Fun-loving
- Uncomplicated
- Manipulative
- Outgoing
- Attention-seeker
- Self-centered
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He wrote in his book: “Be sure your lastborn does not get away with murder in regard to family rules and regulations.
"Statistics show the lastborn is least likely to be disciplined and the least likely to toe the mark the way the older children did."
US psychologist Frank Sulloway said youngest kids are more likely to be adventurous.
He believes that their need to search for an "unoccupied family niche" means that they are "often more exploratory and open to experience".
He explained that the youngest “are seeking out alternative ways of deriving the maximum benefit out of the environment, and not directly competing for the same resources as the eldest."
FIRSTBORN CHILD TYPICAL TRAITS
- Reliable
- Conscientious
- Structured
- Cautious
- Controlling
- Achievers
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Meanwhile first born kids like Prince George tend to do well at winning the hearts of older people and typically are high achievers.
Dr Leman said they are often natural leaders and people pleasers, but can also be “typically aggressive”.
Often they bask in the presence of their mums and dad’s which is why they often end up acting like mini-adults from a young age.
Princess Charlotte, two, who has been attached at the hip to her mum could be at danger at feeling a bit left out.
Meri Wallace, a child and family therapist for over 20 years and author of Birth Order Blue, said: “Middle children often go to an extreme to get attention, which is why some dye their hair purple or become a fanatic about a particular singing group -- because they need an identity really bad.”
This effort can also pay off in their favour.
Meri added: “Middle children often can become artistic because it'll give [them] a unique spot in the family, particularly if the oldest one is good in school.”
MIDDLE CHILD TYPICAL TRAITS
- People-pleasers
- Somewhat rebellious
- Thrives on friendships
- Has large social circle
- Peacemaker
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But should we place so much weight on birth order?
A recent study by Damian and Roberts argued that there wasn't enough evidence to confirm that personality is affected by birth order.
states: "The debate over the effects of birth order on personality has spawned continuous interest for more than 100 years, both from the general public and from scientists.
"And yet, despite a consistent stream of research, results remained inconclusive and controversial.”
More on the royal family
We previously shared how a study found that the eldest child is officially the most intelligent
and each successive sibling is slightly less bright.
And first-born children are 10 per cent more likely to be short-sighted than their younger siblings.