General Chat

Good Morning all some interesting replies thank you :-)

What got me wondering was asking my children the same question.

Being a middle child I was the one who got the hand me downs lol, by the time I had worn them they were too old to pass down to the next, so the eldest got new as did the youngest. The two years between us seemed like eons compared to these days when all age groups appear to mix with ease socially.

Sibling rivalry was fierce at home but if outsiders dared to speak ill of any one us we stood together. The oldest was bossy and the youngest spoilt so you could say I didn’t like being a middle child but we became closer as we grew up and like some others It now seems as if I have taken the role of the eldest when it comes to organising or sorting out problems.

I always tried to treat my children with equality so that they didn’t feel the same Isolation and unfairness as myself and thought I had done a good job, but when speaking to them about this subject each one said the same, that they felt the others were spoilt or treated better than they. Luckily they are quite close and their perceived ‘neglect’ seems not to have an too adverse an effect :-). I must admit to being taken aback by their answers though.

Susan
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Im the youngest out of 4 of us, the eldest being 10 years older than me. While growing up I was definately treated like the youngest ie I had them all wrapped round my little finger lol but since our Mum died I seemed to have changed roles so that now anything the others would of gone to mum for they now come to me. So in essence I have gone from the one they all cared for to the carer.

Morning Susan, morning everyone,

I am the eldest of 8, all of us are very close, agewise, some of us are closer than others, emotionally.

I think being the eldest certainly affected the way I grew up... my parents were more strict and unforgiving with me, at least when I was younger. They had given up by the time it got to my baby sister, lol.

The boys got away with far more than the girls, too!!

I am still the one everyone else turns to in a crisis... but they find it difficult to deal with me and my crises... the sister next to me says it is because I am the calmest in an emergency... those who know me will know how bad the rest of 'em are, using that criteria, lol

I know that I have never lived up to my parents expectations, and that does sadden me.... I really believe that I have had a blessed and extremely happy life and to me that is the most important place to be in!

I would have liked an older brother, hubby is an only child, and would have liked a sibling.

I wanted half a dozen children, but circumstances meant that we were unable to have any more after my two sons..... but even then, my compensation is my two beautiful little granddaughters!

My sister in law tells me that I am the number one female, lol.... she is Chinese!

Love

Daff xxxx

Oh dear.... I have rattled on a bit, haven't I?

edit... and I didn't really answer your question, Susan.. *hangs head in shame* Yes... it affected me... I am the bossy one, lol.... It is also why I am good at (((((hugs)))) and stuff.... I have had loads of practice and seem to know in the real world when to give a hug and when to tell a joke..... this tends to rub off in the way others see me.... I was described by work colleagues once as the Earth Mother... nurturing, but knowing when to cut the apron strings and let 'em fly!! And Bossy, lol ;¬))

I'm 3rd born out of 4 (3 girls 1 boy), my younger sibbling is a sister, next older to me is brother. I was the worst of all 4 of us as a child so I'm told....turned out to have the biggest heart tho...lol. I was horrible to the older 2 & younger 1.....why I don't know...??

the last one, there is 12 years between me and my brother, so felt like an only child at times i hated it, i was left to put up with all the stuff that happened after he moved out!!!

only child......loved it and never wanted any brothers and sisters.....my thoughts were strengthened when i met my husband,the youngest of 12.


Karen x

Only child

Never knew any different really, but it would have been nice to have a sibling to share the grief when my mum died when I was 14., & when my grandad and my disabled nan craved support in the years following their only child's death..

I didn't want just one child myself, if possible, and I have two children of my own now. I'm now experiencing through their lives & interaction together
what I couldn't experience myself as an only child

(the sibling rivalry, arguments etc etc LOL ! )

Which one are you, and do you think your position in the family had a positive or negative effect on your childhood/life?

back later


Susan
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