From birth, a person’s nature cannot be fixed or determined. Growing up, with time and the right upbringing with the help of parents, family and the community, a personality is developed. From time to time, one learns to grow with the situations being faced.

I fail to understand how the sequence of birth can affect or develop one’s personality? As per many studies and debates, how it can be predicted that ‘only-children are selfish and spoiled, middle children are always overlooked and the youngest child does not easily shoulder responsibility’? In some cases it might be true but overall, I personally and strongly don’t agree with this. This is not a reality. Parents play a major role upbringing their children.

Life is the best school. It teaches us the importance of morals and ethics and how one can survive in different situations. As we grow older and step into the real world, society takes the lead by helping us and moulding us according to the situation. Society has both good and bad in it, however it is up to us, what we choose to follow.

During my childhood, in nuclear family, having working parents made me feel as though a lot of responsibility was left on my shoulders. I had to take care of my younger brother, learn how to cook, take care of the house and many other daily tasks. I had to share everything with him, even If I didn’t want to. I matured faster than my age.

I see my husband and despite being the youngest in his family, he is still taking care of his parents, family and needs. He loves fulfilling all the duties.

While I am the eldest and he is the youngest, we both share responsibilities of our own. We both learned and achieved success in our life through hard work. I have seen various such people close to me as friends and family who have been successful in different fields of life and not determined by what family position they have!

- The reader is a resident of Abu Dhabi