Welcome to This Glorious Mess Big Kids. A twice-weekly look at parenting as it really is. Confusing, exhausting, inspiring, funny, and full of surprises. So many surprises.

Do you think a large part of your personality has been influenced by where you sit within the family constellation? 

Well if you answered yes, you might be onto something. In fact, a man by the name of Frank Sulloway pioneered birth theory. After studying over 6000 scientists and social reformers he theorised that your place in the family coincided with your ability to accept or challenge ideas.

Michael Grose our guest today wrote a book all about this stuff back in 2003, Why First-Borns Rule the World and Last-Borns Want to Change It. This year he's re-releasing it because families have changed a lot since then, they’re getting smaller. And with that comes a whole lot more to unpack. So is birth theory something we should factor into parenting or as Andrew says is it just a convenient excuse for not getting along with things... 

LINKS

The revised edition of Michael's book, Why First-Borns Rule the World and Last-Borns Want to Change, is out June 1st. 

CREDITS

Hosts: Holly Wainwright & Andrew Daddo

Guest: Michael Grose

Producer: Mikayla Floriano 

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