Even siblings are raised differently. Do you have siblings?
If you do, you might have noticed even though you were raised by the same parents, you and your sibling(s) turned out differently and might even have different memories of the same events.
Whether you’re the firstborn, middle child, baby, or somewhere in between, chances are the way you see the world has been shaped by where you fell in the birth order – along with your parents’ situation when you were growing up.
Dr. Gabor Mate is an expert on childhood development, and he talks about how every child is raised differently, even in the same family. For example, if you have an older sibling, you never had the experience of having the respect that comes along with being the first born. On the other hand, the youngest in a family is vied as “the baby” and automatically is considered “cute” and lovable.
On top of birth order, parents are in a different place in their own lives when each child is born, and each child’s personality draws a different response from their parents. Without even realizing it, parents raise children differently based on their personal development and their relationship at the time. Even thought parents love their children equally, they respond to each child in a different way.
Have you noticed this with your parents or with your children? It explains why kids who grow up in the same household are unique! Watch this two-minute video featuring Dr. Mate. We invite you to share your experience as a parent or child that was different than other family members on our WellWithin Yammer page.