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So, as a youngest child I most certainly do
not fit his description of selfishness but the more I researched Adler's birth order theory, the more I realized how my upbringing involves less of the influence because of other factors he mentioned. There were only 5
years between my oldest sibling and me with 2 other siblings in between us. We were
economically poor so I believe the whole “spoiled” thing with the last-born was
not applicable to me. Darn, I think I missed out:(
There are other factors that interfere with birth order impact also.
Adlerian.US explains, “A child's birth order
position may be seized by another child if circumstances permit… The child's opinion
of himself and his situation determines his choice of attitude… Birth order is
sometimes not a major influence on personality development. The other
potentially significant influences are: organ inferiority, parental attitudes,
social & economic position, and gender roles. Adler speculated that birth
order differences would begin to disappear when families became less
competitive and autocratic, and more cooperative and democratic.”
I have a sister who is 13 months older than me and she seemed to
steal my limelight (or "seize" it in Adler's words). I think she is a better fit for the youngest
child profile. As a child and as an adult, I am someone who loves to share; it
feels good to share things and experiences with others. It warms my heart.
I grew up in a dysfunctional household developing while I (and my sisters, brother) were trying to survive
the impact of alcoholism. I think, because of these circumstances, as apposed
to being someone pampered as the youngest, I almost felt invisible and, at the
time this wasn't a bad thing. When the household is devoured by a drunken
rampage, blending into the wall is something that becomes a coping mechanism.
It took self-awareness, an open mind and a willingness to heal
as an adult to overcome this in order to find my confidence and voice.
Although my family dynamics skewed the application of Adler’s
birth order charting, I do believe it is a good starting point when working
with a client.
What are your thoughts?
