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Book Review of The Birth Order Book: Why You Are the Way You Are

The Birth Order Book: Why You Are the Way You Are
reviewed on


This is one of the best books on Birth Order I have ever read. There is to start with the typical first, middle, last, and only description for children, but it gets a lot deeper than that.

Leman explains that the number of years between children can create combination children. A child may technically be a "first born", but if s/he has 5 years or more between the next oldest sibling, s/he may ALSO be an "only child". A "middle child" may also be a "last child" if there are more than 5 years between the next youngest sibling. The last child may also be an "only child" if there are many years between him/her and the next sibling.

Additionally, Leman makes note that the sex of the child may change how s/he is treated in comparison to the other siblings. If a child is born as a "middle child", but is of the opposite sex as his older and/or younger siblings, s/he may be treated like a "first born", rather than a "middle child".

Leman explains that the birth order of the parents may influence how they raise their children, advertantly or inadvertantly. The way a parent was raised will obviously influence the decisions s/he makes concerning the child.