I am about to be a dad for the second time.  My second is due in about 2 weeks.

My firstborn is my son Rhys. My wife and I have his whole life documented down to the minute. We also have a baby book cataloging his myriad of “milestonesâ€�.

My younger son’s (it’s a boy – I am far too impatient to wait) name will be Rhys’ brother.

Okay, so I’m exaggerating, but you get the idea: The second child really does get shafted. After you’ve seen your firstborn sit up for the first time, crawl for the first time, take his first steps and speak his first words, let’s be honest — it’s hard to drum up the same level of enthusiasm for the second.  You can’t help but feel guilty that your littler one might spend most of his time relegated to the car seat as you shuttle the older kid to various social calendar engagements and after-preschool activities.

Yet despite the “been there, done that” perspective I may bring to baby number two, it isn’t really all bad for the second child. Think about it: As a dad, you’re considerably less neurotic, less nervous, less worried and less controlling. Instead of being constantly hovered over and checked for vital signs, your younger one is literally allowed more breathing room. And isn’t that what birth order is all about: Younger siblings are commonly believed to be far less anxious than their older counterparts.

I’m a second kid so it can’t be all bad…

 Hamish McDonald

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