If you’ve ever heard that the youngest child gets away with everything, therapists say it might be time to retire that old family myth.
Experts say that many youngest siblings don’t feel spoiled at all. While some may have experienced more freedom or less strict parenting, many also report feeling underestimated, dismissed, or treated like the family “baby” long into adulthood.
Therapists say that label can create pressure. Some youngest siblings feel they have to be the fun, easygoing peacemaker, even when they’re dealing with their own stuff. Others develop people-pleasing habits because they’ve spent years focusing on everyone else’s feelings.
Basically, birth order is only one small piece of the puzzle. Research suggests it is not nearly as predictive of your adult personality as many people think.
