It seems to be a common trait that parents like to project themselves through their children and why not, it is their legacy to the world.
While some parents take pride in embarrassing their teenage children like driving them to school and an older car, the reverse is never acceptable no matter how rebellious they become in their teenage years.
You Can’t Outrun Birth Order
The father of one family I was treating was a local football hero. He reminded me of the character that Al Bundy played in the sitcom Married With Children.
Al Bundy was a shoe salesman that keep reminding everyone he made history when he made four touchdowns in a single game for the Polk high school.
This father would always refer to his football fame whenever he accompanied his children to the office.
His first two children were girls, but he always wanted a boy.
Finally, the third child was a boy.
The pressure he put on his son to play football started at an early age. I recall he could never make appointments after school because of football practice.
It was obvious his son had no love for the game but did not want to disappoint his father. He never achieved his father’s football success. As a Third born he was more interested in art than in football.
Following his life after high school and college, I found he became a very successful graphic artist in New York. It seems while sitting on the bench he would sketch the other players and give them the artwork.
Children will follow their birth order personalities no matter how much pressure the parents apply for a different result.
All children are different; let them find their inner voice and life’s fingerprint.
I am Dr. Robert Hurst author of Life’s Fingerprint: How Birth Order Affects Your Path Throughout Life. I have been an Orthodontist for over 50 years and have been observing my patients from childhood to adulthood and beyond. My patients call me Dr. Bob.