To say that youngest siblings (of larger families) are worse than only children

[Lemonsqueasy]

This is lighthearted, and, disclaimer, I'm an only child. Was just struggling to think of any only children I know who actually fit the spoilt, selfish stereotype.
I do, however, know three examples of people who are the youngest of 4 or 5 and are, although v intelligent and charismatic, quite self centred and immature. Interested to know anyone else's experience with these two demographics.

Completely unreasonable comment OP because yet again someone (you) is having a go at only children - it's implicit in "younger children are worse than onlies". What drives the constant criticism of only children?

What I will say is that I think sometimes younger/youngest children suffer from benign neglect as their parents feel they can lose one by the time they've had 4 or more - I am being slightly flippant here so don't start flaming me. And they miss out on things because their parents tried it with the elder ones so aren't interested or won't waste the money with the younger ones eg DH's parents didn't teach him to ride, or buy him a bike, because they weren't wasting money on more bikes that would just sit in the garage like they did with his older siblings.

So I would actually say the opposite, younger siblings can get the worst deal.

But of course it can go the other way - older siblings get told to get a good example, are expected to offer free babysitting etc.

Funnily enough i was going to say that youngest can be attention seeking. Eg whenever in a group must always demand a bit more time and attention than everyone else on some pretext or other.
But must add that one youngest adult can't swim or ride a bike so havingtochooseusernameagain might have a point. I was quite shocked with this, often the older siblings will be the ones to teach the younger one things but obviously didn't happen here.

I’m the youngest of six from Irish Catholic family. I suffered benign neglect and was ignored most of my childhood. My mum was devastated to be pregnant with number 6 and I paid the price.
Spoilt my areas! Chance would have been a fine thing!

havingtochangeusernameagain you are being only slightly flippant? Ffs. There were 5 in my family and I can assure you when my big brother died it was not seen as ok as they had 4 more.

My parents are both only children, and you have never met a pair of people who aren't selfish but.... let's just say they wouldn't change their plans for anyone!! Dad had a skin cancer taken off his face and needed to go back the next day as it would stop bleeding. Mum said he'd have to go on the bus as she had a hairdresser appointment.... self absorbed I would say

My dad was the youngest of 4, next sibling to him 5 years older, the eldest 9 years. My dad was the only one all got on with them all. One died last year and my dad was the only sibling he spoke to.

He said the older 3 had wild fights as children, my aunt cracked a steam iron over her elder brother's head and was asking if he was dead yet . Being younger he was mostly spared.

My mum was an only, but her mum was distraught at not being able to have any more and made my mum feel very responsible (very bad birth experience). Caused all kinds of issues.

Yep. Now that you say it the worst I know are youngest of 4-5 but with a significant age gap between them and next sibling. I think the parents get a bit lazy and older siblings help with raising them, and then spoil them a bit.

Worst sibling recipe in my opinion/experience is: DC1 a girl, DC2,3 and 4 being boys. I know 2 women with this sibling combo and they are bossy, grumpy, controlling nightmares

My younger sister is one of the hardest working people I know. She's very practical, reliable and loyal - not remotely spoiled!

I find the middle child to be the dick- jealous of the PFB and of the last born getting babied.

I find it quite amusing that this thread is mostly people saying they think this is true, apart from a handful of youngest children who insist it is not...!

Well this thread is grossly offensive...

Being one of 12 didn’t make the death of my brother a couple of years ago any easier for any of us - including my parents

Being one of 8 didn’t make it easier for my uncle and aunt when their eldest son died. Or make their multiple miscarriages easier

Being the youngest didn’t make me spoilt. Becoming a carer at 10 when my mum became disabled and still dealing with all my parents health and finance admin 30 years later doesn’t lead to spoiling. My older siblings were away and clear when Mum got ill and Dad couldn’t cope.

The only spoiled ones were the ones who were the favourite (third eldest) and the ones who always needs helping out (second and third youngest)

The youngest of large families is the one left at home with ageing parents, the one who inherits everyone else’s rules, the one who no one has time for...

So DOFOD with your ‘light hearted’ shite generalisations based on the sum total of fuck all

Chill out!
Obviously the eldest of 3 same sex siblings are gracious charming highly intelligent and wildly successful

Yes, I’m the youngest of 4 and am very intelligent and charismatic

I have three boys then a girl. She is indeed a nightmare. To be a girl and have three older brothers you need to hold your own I guess.

My 3 AC are all spoilt in their own way due to the age difference between them,DD 49 DS 42 DS 36 they where all treated as only children and all spoilt they wanted for nothing and have all turned out to be loving respectful and intelligent grownups who we are very proud of.

I'm the youngest of 6 and DH is the youngest of 5. Both had very busy parents. Effectively running low in resources when we came along.

DH was in weekly boarding at 3 with his siblings aged 4,5,6&7 (yup 5 in 5 years) because his mum had meningitis and his dad had mumps.

I boarded from 7 cos my mum died.

I don't think either of us are spoilt. I definitely got away with more than the eldest 2 because Dad just didn't care enough. Never came to a single thing at school ever. Not even Uni graduation.

The spoilt kids I know tend to be only girls and only boys.

I'm an only child with no nephews and nieces and I got stifled, not spoilt. All the hopes of the family rest on me, and all the responsibility for my parents and their childless siblings when they get old.

You have to remember that you're looking at a self-selecting sample - we, being the last child to be born - are the ones who put multiple breeders off having any more children.

My DH is an only child and extremely selfish. My niece is also an only child and ridiculously spoilt.
My youngest sister and DD (both youngest of 3) are both unspoilt, kind and loving. HTH.

Yes I agree
.ive 4 .youngest is hard work ,10 year gap
In all fairness ..my parenting is shit compared to the parenting my other 3 got .
I’m trying my best ,but .

I'm the youngest of six with a significant age gap between me and the others. I probably had more of my parents' time as a small child (dad retired when I was about 7), but my mother quite proudly describes their parenting style as 'benign neglect' and remarks that the others brought me up. (This is an exaggeration but illustrates the attitude). None of us are spoilt.

There have been comments that surely I must have been spoiled, when people find out about our family structure. My siblings have always said no.

Oldest children are most likely to be selfish and entitled, IME

With out of school activities, the youngest just gets taken along to the oldest child's activities, and encouraged to take up that activity too. There's a lot of focus on the oldest child - who is always the one doing things for the first time, doing them at a higher level, etc. The parent chooses a school for the older child, and chances are they dont' think twice about sending the younger one there too, etc etc.

Anecdotally we have found that often couples pair up with their equivalents - dh and I both eldests friends we saw last night both second children my sis and her dh both youngest of 3 and so on.