Of course, each child is unique and in children age characteristics may manifest in different ways. Variations in each family are possible, dictated mainly by the age difference between children. For example, if the difference is two to three years, then each of them is closer to the model of the older and younger child than with the difference of eight to ten years, where both will show the features of the first and only child.
Senior, intermediate, junior
The first child communicates much more with adults than with children. Therefore, adopts much of the behavior of their parents and usually quickly grows up. However, if cousins live in the same apartment or stay with their grandmother for a long time, where the first becomes no longer the first but the second or third, then the features of the first child are less pronounced. The first child receives not only all the attention of the parents, but all their hopes are also assigned to him. When a second child is born, the elder has a fear of losing parental love or the amount of attention to themselves. These age characteristics should be taken into account by parents, trying to behave so that the child does not notice a decrease in attention to themselves.
For example, mother feeds the younger child while reading the book to the elder. While the younger one is sleeping, his mother iron, while admiring the drawing of the elder and commenting on it. Dad goes for a walk with both children, and while the youngest is sleeping peacefully in a wheelchair, he swings on the swing of the elder. The second child often behaves in opposition to the elder. Striving to overtake the elder, he often surpasses him in school subjects. He sees that the elder brother or sister is like a step between him and his parents, one who imitates parents and seeks to grow up.
The second child is not always the youngest, because there may be a third child. The second child and the average child are practically synonymous. In the West, a family with three or four children is just as common as we have with two. The average child grows a little like a younger child, when it suddenly becomes average. The first child from the only one to become older is easier than the second of the younger to become middle. The elder feels like an assistant to the parents, an authority, the first and greatest hopes were placed on him, and the circles and sections were first selected for him, and "the first time in the first class" his parents also led him. The youngest is still a helpless crumb who needs a lot of parents' attention. What role does the average play in this chain? Parents need to take this into account and in this situation more time is given to him. Agree that the older is easier, he has experience of getting used to the younger, for him it is, so to speak, the passed stage. Well, if there is an opportunity for the weekend to take the average child to visit his beloved grandmother or aunt, where he can feel the only one, get all the attention to himself. If this is not possible, think of something else. Mom at home with the baby - dad with the senior and average go for fishing. Do not forget that the children need a mother. Go to the park is preferable to the whole family, where the baby can sleep under the supervision of the popes, then moms, and the rest of the children - have fun and chat with both parents.
The average child does not have such a connection with his parents, as the elder. By the way, he parted with his parents more easily, and adapts to the kindergarten more quickly. Another would be parents' homes, then they do their lessons with the eldest, then they bathe the younger one, swaddle, put a pencil in his hand - go and paint. Aunt in the kindergarten will show what to draw, and help, and then also to the exhibition of drawings will be sent. Lack of attention to the average child, in the family of the older and younger, inevitably gets more, and provokes behavior in such a way to attract attention.
Younger children do not have to worry about lack of attention to themselves, rather - about an overdose. The younger is easier to grow up selfish if you create too "greenhouse" conditions for him. The younger people get used to consulting the elders even in small things, even when the youngest is 50, and the older one is 53.
Single child
The only child is another concept, which, unfortunately, is not uncommon in our country. One of the reasons - the divorce, when the second "start" just did not have time. The second reason is that it's better to give everything to one than to give it to a few. History knows many examples of how hard it is to get used to the "new life" of the only children of bankrupt parents who were eager to give "all" to the children and left them with nothing. But we are not talking about this now. Features of children, the only ones in the family, in many ways similar to older children. Constant interaction with adults gives them social maturity, but emotional immaturity. Strong relationships with parents can support and nurture self-confidence, and can lead to fear of loneliness. The only children at the first opportunity try to separate from their parents and live independently, being saturated with their "hyperopeak".
What to do? By positive methods of upbringing one can win both negative features of heredity, and negative prerequisites of the elders, middle, junior and single. Do not forget that you are seven I am, even if you are not seven, but five, four or three. We hope that this information will help you to better understand the age characteristics of children, understand each other and educate your children in the best way.