| November 2006
Introduction to Birth Order Plus
Cliff Isaacson is an Algona counselor, minister and author. He has an interesting twist on birth order that is very accurate called Birth Order Plus. The next five articles give a brief overview of each birth order as written by Isaacson. To learn more about birth order, visit www.birthorderplus.com or educationalissues.suite101.com. I hope you enjoy this series. Mrs. Pytel, K-8 Counselor.
Everyone’s personality is based on birth order. Very early life experiences form these personalities. How we perceive the world gets filtered by our birth order.
The term “birth order” has two meanings. It can refer to the actual place in the family such as only, oldest, middle and youngest child or it can refer to the personality type associated with the place in the family.
Exceptions
Exceptions occur because of age differences, day-care situations, and maternal stress when the child is around two, adoption, and multiple births.
How Many Are There?
Birth Order personalities consist of only child, first born, second born, third born and fourth born. In large families birth order repeats.
In The Beginning
The concept of birth order comes from psychiatrist Alfred Adler who, early in the last century, suggested that it consisted of oldest, middle and youngest child, was caused by parents and could occur because of gender differences. Understanding birth order was advanced with the discovery of the five birth order personalities in 1970.
Birth order personality is created by early childhood experiences.
The only child must learn to play alone without feeling lonely.
The first born copes with the loss of attention to the new baby.
The second born competes with the first born.
The third born endures teasing from the second born.
The fourth born feels the impact of being rejected by the third born. The fourth born ignores the fifth child so the birth order cycle repeats.
During these early experiences, children make the decisions that determine their personalities. When set, usually by age two, birth order personality is fixed for life. Blended families may challenge it but do not change their birth order personalities. The children simply cope using their birth order strategies.
The Value
The value of knowing birth order is to understand personalities. Understanding each other enhances relationships. Marriages improve, parenting becomes more effective, friendships more enduring, cooperation more common. Life gets better at home, workplace and in society.
In the next articles, we will look more closely at each of the personalities.
Cliff Isaacson
Upper Des Moines Counseling Center, Inc. 1-800-214-0795
Copyright article 2006 Cliff Isaacson. All Rights Reserved.
Mrs. Pytel
K-8 Counselor
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