They say that the oldest child is the smartest, are you an older, middle, or younger child in the family?

Question

I guess the parents spent more time with the first child.

I am a middle child

Answer 1

I actually hadn't heard that before. I'm the oldest of 5. I'm smarter than some of my younger siblings (I think), but my littlest sister (sibling #4) is one smart cookie. :) She's just 14, but I'm already so proud of her. Since my mother was sick a lot, I helped raise her and my baby brother; so she feels more like a daughter than a sister sometimes. Maybe that's why I don't feel like it's a competition between us. We have different strengths, too: I'm studying to become a doctor, but she doesn't enjoy science--she does drama and speech competitions. I think she'd make a great president!

I think my parents, especially my dad, did spend more time with me when I was little than with my youngest siblings. But my youngest siblings had a bigger support system, with more cousins and big siblings to play with and read to them. So I guess each position in the family has its strengths.

I have noticed that the oldest child is often more driven and more of a perfectionist, perhaps because they get more pressure to achieve from their young (and thus more excitable/energetic) parents. So they might appear smarter because they aim for more "intellectual" careers--being lawyers, doctors, professors, etc. For instance, my younger siblings have pursued more artistic interests than I did--my youngest brother creates cartoons, and one of my sisters wants to be an interior decorator. So they have a type of intelligence that I don't, because I can't draw at all!

Answer 2

I'm the older of two, and yes, my IQ is a little higher than my sister's although not all that much. I think it's partly parental attention, but also a higher parental expectation of the first child. By the time the second (or subsequent) child comes along, mom and dad have figured out that the kids aren't pint-sized adults, and don't expect them to know everything already :-)

Answer 3

I am second to the last in the line-up of seven myself. And also the smartest, by a wide margin.

My mother only had a Grade 8 education, and my father had Grade 4. There was no early teaching going on in MY house, except what I gave myself.

I taught myself to read (between Captain Kangaroo and cereal boxes) before I started school. I was always in the "accelerated" portion of the class, and actually ended up skipping Grade 4 entirely. Then in high school, I took my five year curriculum in 4 years, as well as taking extra credit courses in Calculus and Physics.

Answer 4

The oldest isn't unavoidably the best. the middle isn't continuously disregarded,and the youngest isn't continuously spoiled. In my case i grow to be the youngest and definite very spoiled,yet with textile issues,for this reason questioning my mothers and fathers did no longer love me.,my brother grow to be the clever one, and the oldest have been given pregnant at a youthful age. whilst my mom died final 3 hundred and sixty 5 days even although i grow to be the only one that took care of her,whilst it got here time for the preparations all of them close me out. that's in simple terms my adventure.

Answer 5

I'm the younger of the 2 and I can say that "the oldest is the smartest" does not apply in my case

Answer 6

Youngest child of six, adopted by an aunt at age two. I was the younger child, then my aunt had a boy, then I was the middle child. Not a good family life.

Answer 7

Oldest and smartest.
My middle child and youngest child are smarter than my oldest.

Answer 8

I'm oldest and only.

Maybe it's because the oldest has to take the most responsibility at an earlier age than the others. But I don't think it's always true.

Maggie

Answer 9

I'm the oldest and I would say that I'm the smartest in the family....but I think that's coincidental.

My third sister is book smart; but does'nt have a lick of common sense.

Answer 10

I am the oldest of four. I don't believe I am the smartest. However, I am more serious about life and responsibilities than my siblings. In some ways that is good, and in others, it is not.