First-born kids really do have it tougher, new research finds
Breaking news...?
And I wouldn’t say it’s precisely tougher. It’s just different.
Did I mention that my parents bought my sister a horse?

”By the time the second and third kids come around, many parents lighten up, and realize that they probably overreacted a little with setting rules for their first kid, Leman says. “The first-born’s a guinea pig; we practice on ‘em,” he says. “Once the other kids come in, we lighten up. Or exhaustion takes over.””
We do lighten up. If you think folks lighten up with number three, let me tell you about number six. It’s all for the good. Except with six kids, you can’t afford any horses.
Did I mention my sister’s horse?

“When Emily was little, she was just always my perfect little robot who did everything I wanted her to do,” Russell says. “I thought, God, I must be really good at this.”
It is humbling to come to the realization that every good thing about your children is not because of you. The segue from the first to the second can bring a parent down a notch. (Or, in some situations, offer the reassurance that all problems are caused by Mom and Dad.)

Then there was the on-line poll:
Were your parents easier on the baby in the family?
There was no option marked “They bought my sister a horse”