Have you ever thought about how your place in the family impacts who you are? As the holiday season brings families together, it's perhaps a good time to reflect on how birth order plays out in your own dynamics—and how it influences your kids.

Whether you’re the oldest, youngest, middle child, or an only child; birth order theory suggests that it can shape aspects of your personality. But experts say it’s just one piece of a much larger puzzle.

Rebecca Hoffmann, Director of MaineHealth Center for Trauma, Resilience, and Innovation, offers insights into the factors that contribute to personality development. Hoffmann delved into common family dynamics, such as sibling rivalries and the unique pressures faced by firstborns or the sometimes-overlooked middle child. She also offered practical advice on how parents can use this understanding to strengthen relationships within the family.

Raising Me is sponsored in part by MaineHealth.

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