Many sociologists believe that birth order affects the personalities of siblings. Whether first born, last born, or a middle child, children’s personalities are influenced by their siblings. First born children are said to be perfectionists with good organization and an academic attitude. Their mature attitude may be influenced by the amount of time they have spent with their parents. Middle children are said to be flexible mediators who are often very generous and caring. They also have an independent personality due to their family giving them more space as they focus on the other children. Last born children are said to take more risks and have an outgoing and creative personality. Parents may give the youngest of the family the most attention…show more content… Reinert, is the oldest of her family of six people including: her brother, sister, sister-in-law, mother, and father. She and her siblings exhibit many of the stereotypes associated with first born children. While growing up, she believes that she felt in charge of her siblings, so much so that she would even describe herself as bossy at times. Both her brother and sister listened to her and in turn looked to her for help and support. Miss. Reinert’s scholarly personality fits the stereotype of first born children and would explain her interest in teaching students. Since these personality traits have so clearly shaped her lifestyle and career, she knows that her childhood would have been very different if her sibling’s birth order was different. She remembers seeing her friend’s older sibling take charge and speak up for her friend, just as she did with her siblings. While she loved being someone for her siblings to look up to, she found that it put pressure on herself to always have to act a certain way for the sake of her…show more content… While each of her siblings appear to be a “people person”, her sister is even more sociable than her and her brother. In fact, she was very different from her older siblings in school because she had trouble staying quiet in class. Miss. Reinert also believes that her sister may fit the stereotype of being spoiled because she was the only child in the house for many years after her older siblings moved out. However, while being the the last sibling in the house, her sister had to grow up quickly when her dad was diagnosed with alzheimer's. Her sister then saw what it would’ve been like to be the first born. This event in her sister’s life made a difference in the relationship between her and her sister. Her sister gained an understanding of Miss Reinert’s responsibility and in turn allowed both of them to relate better to one another; they still have a strong connection even though they are now grown
