Every sibling in a family has a role based on their birth order. For example, recently we have been hearing about “eldest daughter syndrome” (EDS) and its long-term effects. “‘Eldest Daughter Syndrome’ is a term used to describe the emotional burden that the oldest daughter in a family often carries,” neuropsychologist Dr. Sanam Hafeez told Parents magazine. “Many first-born daughters start out early in life looking after their younger siblings, helping with household chores, and caring for sick family members.” Even as adults, first-born daughters are not always able to shake off this mindset.
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On the other end of the spectrum, there are the youngest children. “The youngest in the family could sell dead mice to make a living if they had to,” psychologist Kevin Lehman, PhD, tells Women’s Health. “They’re at odds with the person immediately above them in the family.” In between, there are siblings who are constantly trying to figure out their place in the world.[Middle children] “It’s a tough situation to be in between a prince or princess and a kid who committed murder and got away with it,” Leman said.
And then there are only children. “Only children lack sibling competition and receive a lot of parental attention,” psychology professor Katherine Salmon, PhD, tells MedPsych. “As a result, parents have greater expectations and pressure to develop children who tend to adopt characteristics common to first-born children.” Naturally, with these different personality traits in mind, it’s easy to see why birth order influences how people date.
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