1. Birth Order January 16, 2008

2. Targets For Today: Describe birth order and how it affects relationships with others Question whether or not birth order research matches your own unique personality

3. Birth Order Birth order refers to the order in which you were born among your siblings. Many believe that the order in which you were born among brothers and sisters influences how you develop. Though birth order gives us clues about our behavior, it is not always accurate.

4. What if? What if there are 5 years separating you from your sibling? You can be characterized as an only child or first born sometimes having both only child and first born child characteristics.

5. Who do You Think You Are? 1. Manipulative, charming, blames others, shows off, people person, good salesperson, precocious. 2. Mediator, fewest pictures in the family photo album, avoids conflict, independent, extreme loyalty to the peer group, many friends 3. Perfectionist, reliable, list-maker, well- organized, critical, serious, scholarly

6. The Results If you are most like number… 1. You may be the youngest child in the family. 2. You may be the middle child in the family. 3. You may be the first born child in the family.

7. What do you think?

8. Activity Get into groups with your classmates depending on your birth order. Brainstorm together and come up with why it is cool to be in your birth order and what stinks about being in your birth order. Write down your ideas on the poster paper in each group. Share with class.

9. Feelings of First Born Children "Everyone depends on me." "I can't get away with anything." "I don't get to be a kid." "Why do I have to do it? Nobody else does anything around here." "How come I'm responsible for what my little brother or sister did?"

10. First Born Personality Traits Confident Determined Born leader Organized Eager to please Likes to avoid trouble

11. Feelings of Middle Children "I'm tired of being left out of things." "Nobody understands me!" "Nobody ever listens to me!" "I'm always in the shadow of my older sister/brother." "My youngest brother/sister gets away with everything."

12. Middle Personality Traits Roll with it Great negotiator Lots of loyal friends

13. Feelings of Youngest Children "I have to work hard to get other people to pay attention to me!" "Nobody takes me seriously." "Everyone treats me like I'm younger than I am."

14. Youngest Personality Traits Persistent Great story teller Affectionate

15. Feelings of Only Children "I didn't do as well as I should have." "Sometimes I feel lonely." "I would be much happier with a brother or sister." "I'm not getting enough attention."

16. Only Children Personality Traits: Confident Pays attention to detail Good in school Its MINE! Overly critical

17. Famous People First Born Children: Bill Cosby, George W. Bush, Hilary Rodham Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and Jessica Simpson. Middle Born Children: Jay Leno, Donald Trump, Susan B. Anthony, Barbara Walters

18. Famous People Youngest Children: Drew Carey, Jim Carey, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Whoopi Goldberg Only Children: Robert DeNiro, Natalie Portman, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Tiger Woods and Charlize Theron

19. Why? On a separate sheet of paper that you will be turning in for credit, answer: Why does it matter? Will this information benefit me and my relationships with others? Do you agree or disagree with your characteristics of your birth order? Why?

20. Why Does this Matter? Parents should attempt to help each child to see themselves as unique individuals and avoid comparisons with siblings or others.

21. For Additional Information You can go to: http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpu bs/4359.htm http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpu bs/4359.htm http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/family/birthorder/