Making the Last-Born Birth Order Work

Making the Last-Born Birth Order Work¹

1. Accept responsibility for yourself. Are you still passing the buck? You’re not a little kid anymore, so why continue acting like one? It’s time to grow up and take charge.

2. Think neat. Many last-borns are disorganized, even messy. Learn to pick up after yourself.

3. Give of yourself. While last-borns are usually people persons, ironically they struggle with self-centeredness. Offer to help others, then follow through and quietly do it without fanfare. Helping others — sharing your money, time and energy—is a great cure for self-centeredness.

4. Beware of being too independent. Work on admitting your faults. Don’t blame others for your situation even if you think they caused it.

5. Always be aware of your gifts: being funny, charming and persuasive. Use these correctly and you will be an asset in any situation. Beware, however, of being a carrot seeker, always working for that pat on the head, and always asking, “What’s in it for me?”

6. Share the applause. If you love the limelight, be advised that other people like a little of it now and then, too. When talking with others, always concentrate on asking them about their plans, their feelings and what they think.

7. Before marriage, try dating firstborns. You may find them the most compatible. After marriage, to any birth order, remember that your wife is not your “mommy,” or your husband is not your “daddy.”

¹ Leman, K. (1985). The Birth Order Book: Why You Are the Way You Are. New York: Dell Publishing, pp. 116-117. Used with permission of Fleming H. Ravell, a division of Baker Book House.