TRUE OR FALSE? THE BIRTH ORDER QUIZ

FIRST BORNS

First borns believe everything should be done by the book and the book should never be changed or rewritten.

First borns thrive on being in control, on time and organized.

First borns seize leadership in times of crisis or disaster partly to deny their own anxiety and to find affiliation and support by helping others.

First borns, with other siblings, like associating with popular people but may be less popular themselves.

First borns have lower self esteem than later children.

Striptease performers are generally first born.

First borns do not like to make mistakes.

Stutterers are often first-born children.

First borns tend to like a military career.

First borns are less likely to engage in body-contact sports, where there is a prospect of physical injury.

First borns will want to help the teacher do routine chores like scrubbing the blackboard, clapping the erasers, cleaning the paintbrushes, etc. First borns see these assignments as privileges rather than drudgery.

First borns are list makers with a need to know all the facts at hand when they approach a problem. They prefer a rational approach to life.

MIDDLE CHILDREN

Second borns are great mediators and often make excellent managers and leaders because they understand compromise and negotiation.

Middle children resist telling you how they really feel. They are the classical avoiders of conflict or confrontation.

Middle children are the most monogamous of all birth orders.

Beauty shop operators are likely to be second-born.

Middle children (second of three or third of four) will have the fewest pictures in the family photo album .

The middle child is usually the one to leave home first.

Middle children are great team players.

Middle children are the most secretive of all the birth orders.

Middle children probably get the best training for life.

LAST BORNS

Youngest children are often fun-loving and light-hearted.

Last borns tend to lose things.

Weathermen/women on TV are usually the baby of their families (the "performing" position).

Last borns are likely to be the poorest readers in families. They are the most likely to be read to.

The last-born youngster is often more popular than older siblings, and can be lighthearted, cheerful and playful.

In lower-class families, the youngest child often feels the strongest need to achieve.

Last-borns are suckers for praise and encouragement.

Many last-borns are messies.

Last borns struggle with self-centeredness.

Last borns, as a rule, are the last people who can live on a tight budget.

ONLY CHILDREN

Only children tend to have higher self-esteem than any other birth order.

Only children are seldom jealous.

Only children often quietly wish they could move in, take over and do it right.

Only children often avoid arguments, fearing a fight will spell the end of a relationship.

Only children are the most conscientious and reliable. They will do what they say they will do, and they do it when they say they will do it.

Onlies don't like to be excluded. They hate nonsense and they have instant likes and dislikes which they seldom revise.

ANSWERS:

All statements are true.