| January 2007
The First Born Personality
The first born lives in a world of conditional love. Always thinking that love can be lost at any moment, the first born interacts cautiously with others.
In The Beginning
The first born starts life as an only child basking in more than enough love. Everything changes when mother brings this tiny stranger home from who-knows-where. When the stranger whimpers, mother tells the first born to wait while she takes care of the baby. The oldest child is stunned at being rejected. He never got set aside like this before.
“Is It Something I Did?"
As the oldest child watches mother have entirely too much fun with this stranger he (or she) concludes that he must have done something terribly wrong for mother to reject him. He begins to feel guilty about what he does, thinks and feels a sense of guilt that carries on throughout life. But, he can not figure out what he did wrong.
Lifelong Implications
The first born lives in fear that he will inadvertently offend someone so that what little love there is will be lost. He is afraid to say what he thinks, wants or feels so “I don’t know” becomes a standard answer. What do you think? I don’t know. What do you want for supper? I don’t know. What would you like to do tonight? I don’t know.
First Born Body Language
Body language lets you identify the first born as he keeps nodding his head in agreement. The first born waits to know what you think before venturing an opinion, an opinion that will agree with what you said. The first born will expend great effort to please you if you mention what you want. However, real interaction with the first born is difficult.
First Born Strengths
First borns do have strengths. Having led younger siblings, they tend to be leaders that others follow. Listening to others makes them into research thinkers that enable them to pursue research tirelessly. Combined with training their being tuned in to others makes them into good counselors, high school and college teachers, pastors, mentors and physicians.
Understanding Others Is a Challenge
Understanding others challenges first borns. Growing up, they did not have to understand younger siblings because they could overpower them. As adults, they still do not understand others. They tend to be continually surprised by others’ reactions. Birth order intrigues first borns with its insights into people.
For more articles on birth order plus, visit www.birthorderplus.com or educationalissues.suite101.com.
Mrs. Pytel
K-8 Counselor
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