If your were the oldest child in your family were you given huge responsibilitie

1. 61

   Penny Gposted 10 years ago

   If your were the oldest child in your family were you given huge responsibilities?
   
   Were you given responsibilites beyond your years and were you able to accomplish them or did you suffer from failing your parents!
   
   

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2. 59

   MiloNowherepoemsposted 10 years ago

   Yes, but my main concern was having a harder life than my younger brothers. For example, everything I had to struggle to get, my brothers got it with ease!

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   1. 83

      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      THAT'S par for the course for the oldest child in the family.  You are the tester child and the child who must set THE EXAMPLE.  You have to dot those ps and qs, the younger siblings have it MADE IN THE SHADE in comparison to you my dear.

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   2. 59

      MiloNowherepoemsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Wonderfully put, my friend!

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   3. 60

      Yousif Mohammedposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      You learned life lessons that your other brothers have not learned yet. In my opinion you are ahead because you are the oldest child. I would not be envious towards your family members. If you believe in God, be happy with what God has given you.

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   4. 61

      Penny Gposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I'm not upset with my Mother but I was being sent to the store at 4 years old two blocks away with a note and a list because I couldn't read yet. I also was sent to mail letters ect. I made some mistakes and was so scared shed be mad at me.

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   5. 83

      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, the life of many oldest children are hell. They are expected to be adults even in childhood. They must be perfect as to set "examples" for younger siblings who get away w/murder. Siblinghood is ONEROUS for oldest children-they get the SHAFT!

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3. 65

   ladyweightposted 10 years ago

   I was the oldest child and was given a lot of responsibility. I enjoyed being the oldest thoroughly as my parents gave preference to my opinions over my siblings. They had to be respectful to me too. To this day I am still the big sister and I still have the privilege of making important family decisions.

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   1. 83

      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Well, that's a way of pointing it.  In essence, you were the parent to your younger siblings.  You probably had NO childhood as you has to be an adult early.  You also put YOUR OWN needs, desires, & goals last, if not abandoned them entirely!  SA

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4. 82

   peachpurpleposted 10 years ago

   i am the oldest child in my family, i had to cope 3 jobs, put my bro to college, buy him a car, a hi fi and he doesn't appreciate

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   1. 83

      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I FEEL for YOU!

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5. 83

   gmwilliamsposted 10 years ago

   
   
   I wasn't the oldest child, but I knew several oldest children, including my mother, cousin, & other assorted relatives.  One can surmise that their sibling environment ranged from purgatorial to downright hellish.  They were inundated w/responsibilities at a time when they should be children.  They had it immensely tougher than their younger siblings did at similar ages.  Those who were smart left home as soon as possible to get away from the familial hell.  Even as adult, many have to financially support parents & siblings much to the consternation & chagrin of their spouses, significant others, & children.  Some spouses left them because of the latter.
   
   Also, it depends upon the status of the oldest child.  In small families of 2 children, oldest children do not have it so tough.  They are still allowed to be children & enjoy an unencumbered childhood & adolescence.  The same goes in medium sized families of 3-4 children.  However in medium large (5 children) & in large families(6-more children), the life of oldest children can be purgatorial or hellish.   Such children are at the peck & call of their parents & siblings 24/7/365.  Their childhoods are like the first day of a winter's solstice.  While other children are having normative childhoods, they are enslaved by their parents to assume adult responsibilities inc. parenting younger siblings.  The word parentified child was coined by a psychologist to specifically describe oldest children in medium large to very large families(8 children or more).  These poor children are overused & put upon if not cast aside after use.
   
   THANK GOD I am not the oldest child, especially an oldest child in a large family, wheeew!  Oldest children are treated the WORST of all birth orders.  They aren't considered children at all but miniature adults, even in early childhood.  A forced laborer & an enslaved person have a heavenly life in comparison to many oldest children. Siblinghood is good for youngest children but BURDENSOME on oldest children-you BETCHA!

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6. 83

   gmwilliamsposted 6 years ago

   It is par for the course for oldest children to be inundated w/responsibilities.  Responsibility is synonymous w/oldest child.  Oldest children are pushed to be ADULTS......FAST.  They don't have childhoods like other birth orders.  They are little adults but in a negative way.   They oftentimes have major familial responsibilities, sometimes more than the parents who are adults.
   
   Oldest children CARRY the family & household.  Many assume parenting roles far before they are ready to be parents.  It is common for oldest children to raise their parents' children instead of the parents.  Oldest children have THE HIGHEST stress levels of all birth orders bar none.  As soon as they can, oldest children leave home.......AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY,  never looking back.  As adults, they have the CAREFREE life that they should have had in childhood.
   
   Also, because they were inundated w/constant responsibilities, they DON'T want nor DESIRE leadership roles as they FEEL & KNOW that such roles are headaches.  Oldest children are THE MOST abused of all birth orders, they NEVER HAD the OPPORTUNITY of being a child which is sad!
   
   In a way, I am an oldest child advocate because I know the hell that oldest children go through.  I witnessed it firsthand from my mother who was the oldest of 10.  Oldest children, w/very, very few exceptions, are treated worse than chattel by their parents. What a SAD life.  I know now why oldest children have an ENVY of, even HATRED of all other birth orders not theirs. All other birth orders have it SO MUCH BETTER than theirs.
   

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