Psychology 11 is a joke.

Alfred Adler Assignment

PART ONE: I am the oldest child in my family and I agree that I will be or even already am dethroned by my younger sister. The expectations my parents have for me are very high and I am responsible to be a good role model for my younger sister. I am strict with my sister because I do not want her to follow in my footsteps and make the same mistakes I have. At home I do feel power is my right, which isn’t always a good thing as far as my parents are concerned. All in all I agree partially with what Adler has to say about oldest children but I’d like to add that that the responsibility and expectations an oldest child bares can either make him/her a success or completely break them, which leads to them rebelling.

PART TWO: I do not fit into one role but into many. I can relate to the “Responsible Child” because I’ve always had to act older than my age and have been put in situations where I would have to act and be a lot more mature. I’ve never been able to act my age. When out among my parent’s peers I am the responsible loving daughter everyone wishes to have. I try at times to be the “family hero” and I am extremely judgmental of myself. I lie to myself and do not admit that there is anything in myself that needs to be healed. I can also relate to the “Acting Out Child”. I am the most emotionally honest child in the family. I act out in tension and anger a lot of the time due to stress. Stress coming from being the oldest child and not being everything my parents want me to be. There are many extreme things I have done which looking back provided a distraction from the real issues in the household. I’ve done many extreme things out of anger that my parents aren’t even aware of. I do have trouble in school because I have racing thoughts and I am not able to focus. I am extremely sensitive and caring. I care about others more than I do myself. I also feel tremendous hurt. Because of the above I have hated myself and I am known to be self- destructive. I can easily relate to the “Caretaker” because I feel I take the responsibility for the emotional well-being of my family. My self definition is centered on others and at times I don’t know how to get my own needs met. I find it hard to receive love so I shut down a lot of the times and give love instead. I take care of others and forget about myself. I get involved in relationships and friendships where I attempt to “save” the other person. In the long run it hurts me but this hurt I can bare and I’d rather help another and perhaps even help change someones life. Finally I can relate to the “Lost Child”. At times I attempt to be invisible and I get lost in my daydreams in class. When I am confronted I deny that I have any feelings when I really do.

All in all I’m a teenager so I’m always changing. It isn’t out birth order that makes us who we are but our past experiences that have shaped us to become who we are today. No one can pick one of these roles and predict their future because we are always changing and going through new life changing experiences so I disagree with categorizing yourself with the chart Alfred Adler created.