How do you feel about your place in your family hierarchy? Do you feel that you are top of the list? Bottom of the list or have you not thought too much about it? And what about your friends and acquaintances, are you a natural leader, top of the pole, or do you just go along with the crowd? How you view your status with those around you is very important to the way you view yourself… If you believe that you are at the bottom of your family list, unfortunately, that feeling can play havoc with your emotions. You can become jealous of other family members, you can become resentful, argumentative and fault-finding, all traits that can send you spiralling lower down the list. Being top of the list in your own eyes, can also create problems… You may become angry when others don’t do as you bid. You can be overbearing and bossy; you can so easily put other people down and humiliate them in front of other family members and friends a trait that can cause you to be shunned and disliked. How about being a middle child? Children born in between their siblings can suffer with what is known as the ‘middle child syndrome’ whereby, they can feel neglected and overlooked by their parents who only appear to concentrate on the older sibling and the baby of the family. It’s quite natural for the oldest child in the family to feel above the others, and it’s quite natural for the baby of the family to receive the most attention. However, for your own peace of mind it’s always wise to never feel overlooked or second best. You are who you are and no matter where you find yourself in your circle of family and friends, for your own sake, always think highly of yourself, be kind, be thoughtful, stand your ground when necessary and then whatever your status, family and friends with love and respect you.
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