Let’s face it… we live in a “bite-sized” society.
We love it when people take complex ideas and simplify them for us.
Even better if they make it funny or put it in a short video.
The problem is, that sometimes people don’t get the details exactly right when trying to simplify content or make it funny.
Like with birth order…
Understanding your TRUE birth order is an incredibly powerful tool to have in your belt.
It can help you understand the behavior of your children, a spouse, a partner, or a co-worker. It can even shed light on your own behavior, helping you to make better life decisions in much less time.
But lately on social media, we’ve seen cases where birth order content has gone viral because the core idea is interesting or funny.
But the lessons in the message they’re sharing aren’t entirely accurate.
Holes in Popular Birth Order Content
The problem isn’t just limited to influencers. Even academics sometimes get birth order content wrong by over-simplifying it.
You’ve heard all about the “1”, “2” and the “3”.
The 1 is a natural leader. Don’t tell the 2 what to do. And the 3 goes for whatever, as long as it isn’t too difficult.
There’s lots of potential humor and insight there. Stoic 1s, bossy 2s and messy 3s are funny to think about.
But here’s the thing. It’s not that simple.
This simplistic look at birth order overlooks 2 important factors:
Family status – divorces, remarriages, etc.
Age gaps between siblings
Failing to account for birth orders 4, 5, and so-on
Your TRUE Birth Order
In order for birth order theory to be correctly applied to YOUR situation, you have to know your TRUE birth order.
Your true birth order takes into account:
- The age gap between you and your siblings
- Whether or not you’re part of a blended family
- How many children there are in the family
When you take these factors into account, birth orders actually CHANGE drastically.
A 1 can become a 2. Or a 5 can become a 1. The possibilities are endless.
These changes are real.
Sometimes they’re helpful for the children. Other times they are disastrous.
The Lesson
Birth order stereotypes can be funny. Just make sure you know the CORRECT birth order before drawing any conclusions about how it may apply to your life.
If you want to find your TRUE birth order, take our quiz here: https://lifesfingerprint.com/double-birth-order/