Potential for Leadership: Older children are commonly assigned a leadership position immediately upon the birth of a younger sibling, giving them practice from a young age. This is usually seen with grades, sports, and even careers. Overachieving: Due to high expectations from caregivers and other family members, older children often develop perfectionist tendencies. Protective: Oldest children are often given the role of caregiver for their younger siblings, which reinforces protective behaviors. Domineering: As a way to establish dominance over their younger sibling(s), an oldest child may be more authoritarian as their siblings grow. On the other hand, a second born female may be expected to take on the majority of responsibility within a family if an older sibling was born with a disability.Ĭommon characteristics of oldest children include: For example, I’ve come across many males who grew up with higher expectations than their older sisters due to familial pressures to “carry on the legacy”. 1,3 But, this is also dependent on many factors such as how these expectations and behaviors are reinforced, cultural differences, among others. However, when he turned 14, and I was 18, I was still expected to do more.Īccording to some experts, if a sibling is born more than three years after the oldest, or if there is a change in gender, then these siblings can also take on many of the characteristics of first-born children. As a child, I remember being expected to take the brunt of the chores, because my little brother was only ten. Yet, when that younger sibling turns eight and the oldest child is now 12, the oldest sibling is still seen as a leader. For instance, parents may instill maturity and leadership skills in a child who is ten with a younger sibling who is six. While this may happen at an age when they don’t necessarily remember it, it occurs during a crucial time in brain development.īecause of children’s tendency to learn by example, they naturally develop more advocacy and language skills these skills are then reinforced within the family system. They have also spent more time alone with adults in general than with other siblings. 2 Characteristics of Oldest Childrenīecause of their unique position within a family, an oldest child becomes used to being the sole focus of their parents’ attention. Adler himself suggested that community, family, and other areas of a person’s life also shape the development of their personality. Still, many other elements also affect one’s personality, such as their environment and unique familial factors. 2 Since then, this theory has been debated, but it remains one of the founding ideas of personality. His theory argues that children often display a set of characteristics unique to their position in the family. What Does Research Say About Oldest Child Syndrome?Īlfred Adler first studied the concept of birth order with his research suggesting that this factor contributes to many aspects of one’s personality. 
I had to wait until 18 to get a body piercing but, seeing that this was not as bad as my parents assumed it would be, they allowed my brother to have the same one at–gasp–14! Experiences such as these can ultimately influence a child well into adulthood, resulting in what has been coined as oldest child syndrome. My parents did not allow me to do things that my younger brother was able to do at a much younger age.
For example, the oldest will often have the strictest rules–from bedtime to curfew–among other limitations that are relaxed for younger siblings.
Moreover, firstborns end up being the “guinea pig” for their parents who are learning what works and what does not with child rearing. Furthermore, this inevitably contributed to my tendency to experience jealousy and resentment for things that are “unfair”. However, when my little brother came along, I felt dethroned, now having to share the kingdom with another. From my personal experience, I believe my intelligence and strong sense of self can be related to the four years of the undivided attention I received from my parents in childhood.
1Īs an oldest child myself, I can attest to the validity of my leadership skills, while my younger brother would most likely say “bossy” is the correct term. Nevertheless, the stress that comes from feeling “dethroned” by the birth of younger siblings may also result in some less than positive qualities such as jealousy and competitiveness. Many of the qualities of oldest child syndrome stem from taking care of younger siblings, which contribute to the development of a mature and effective leader. These traits of first-born children include a sense of entitlement, responsibility, and ambition. Oldest Child Syndrome is believed by some to be evidence of common characteristics that can be attributed to birth order.
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