Family Fortunes

Scientists and psychologists agree that although many factors contribute to forming your personality, for example, your sex, class, culture, or lifestyle, one of the most important is your position in the family. So how have you been affected?

Are you a first child, a middle child, the youngest, or an only child?

If you are a first-born child, you are probably self-confident and a good leader – you came first after all. You may be bossy and even aggressive if you don’t get what you want. You are ambitious and good at communicating because you learnt to speak from your parents, not from brothers and sisters. On the other hand, you are the oldest and so you have to be the most responsible, and this can make you the kind of person who worries a lot.

Middle children are often independent and competitive. You had to fight with your brothers and sisters to get what you wanted. You are also co-operative as you always had to negotiate with your older or younger brothers and sisters. You are sociable, as you always had someone to play with. On the other hand, you may be jealous and insecure or moody if you felt your parents preferred your older brothers or sisters.

Youngest children are often very charming. You learned very quickly that you could get exactly what you wanted by being charming- and this can make you manipulative. You are usually affectionate and relaxed because when you arrived your parents were more relaxed themselves. But you are often not very independent, as you always had so many people to help you. This makes it hard for you to take decisions. And you may be lazy, because your parents pushed you less and were less strict with you than with your older brothers and sisters.

Only children are often quite selfish. You had the wonderful luxury of not having to share your parents’ attention with anybody else. In fact, you received so much attention as a child that you find it difficult to be interested in other people. On the other hand, you are usually organized and responsible, and often imaginative. But you may find it difficult to communicate with others, and are very sensitive to criticism.

a)    What’s your position in the family? Are you the oldest, the youngest, in the middle, or an only child?  Do you like your position? Why (not)?

b)    Underline the adjectives of personality. Write them in the chart.

	First-born children	Middle children	Youngest children	Only children
Positive adjectives	Self-confident
Negative adjectives
Positive or negative adjectives

What are you like? What are your brothers/sisters/friends like?

I’m a middle child. I’m competitive, but I’m not really moody.....

My younger brother is definitely.....