Confessions from a first-born

My parents have three daughters and I'm the oldest, which I thought would mean smooth sailing until it hit me, at some point years ago, that I was the trailblazer in our house.

I'd be the one who would get in trouble first ("You should know better, you're the oldest!"), I'd be the teacher ("Show your sister how to write an essay, you're the oldest!") and I'd have to learn to compromise ("Let your little sisters watch their TV shows first, you're the oldest"). At the time, it seemed completely unfair that I'd have to go through all the big "firsts," paving the way for my sisters to happily (and easily) follow behind ("Can I take the car out tonight? You let Lisa when she was my age.").

But, looking back, I guess it wasn't really that bad. The Tooth Fairy visited me first, I brought home the first A+ on a report card (first-borns are typically goody-goodies) and I was the first to flee the nest, leaving my sisters to finally fend for themselves. (It was about time!)

If you ever think about the role birth order plays in your family, how it affects each child's personality (is your first-born a leader? Is your youngest an attention-seeker?), check out our birth order package for typical characteristics and tips on parenting your first, middle and youngest kids.

See you next time,
Lisa Goldman
Todaysparent.com

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