CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Parents think of their children especially the first born children as extensions of
themselves thus having a thought of their children as an investment.

Children as they grow up have their own sense of responsibility, that is because even
from they were young there are already tasks and roles being assigned to them to learn
how things work. Even from the lightest responsibility of fixing the bed after waking up
to washing the dishes or taking care of their younger siblings. In the Philippines, children
at young age receives so much love and attention even from extended family members
that even up until six years old they are still being spoon fed (Hays, 2008). In western
countries, independence when in the legal age is being practice while in the Philippines,
even when the son or the daughter has their own family they still live with their parents.

For Filipinos, the parents’ influence on their children are very important. They are
referred to as authoritarian when it comes to family and their children’s lives. A
qualitative study about children and parenting mentioned that upon interviewing 74
mothers and 13 fathers it was concluded that parents see their children as someone that
still need more experience and knowledge about how life works before going on to their
own paths independently. These beliefs legitimize parental authority and children’s
subservience (Dela Cruz et al., 2001). One example of the things that Filipino parents
have influence on are their children’s college degree or their career. Choosing a college
degree and life career usually starts in a young age. In kindergarten, children were asked
what they wanted to be when they grow up, from that instance they are already being
aware of what they want to be just by knowing what those profession they chose do.

According to Alfred Adler’s “Style of Life”, a psychological theory about

personality development, birth order is a factor of personality development and that
firstborn usually develops responsible personality and ends up successful due to parents’

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expectation. In line with this, in the dynamics of growing up as a Filipino first-born child
means having the responsibility to be the best role model of the younger ones. They are
expected to do things in their parents’ will. Filipino parents tend to take the role of
deciding what kind of profession or career their child would take, thinking for
practicality and sometimes expecting their child to fulfill their own dreams as a chance to
a brighter future (Carpio, 2018). Being pressured of the responsibility and also the drive
to impress and make their parents proud, first-born children usually take their parents’
advice when it comes to choosing a college degree. A study in the Journal of Child and
Family Studies mentioned that how the parents handle their child even with good cause
might either give the child a positive or a negative feedback. To impress the parents, the
child may hide the fact they don’t like what they’re doing and might end up with stress
or even depression. Filipino parents may think that what they’re doing can have a
positive implication for their child’s future but they are missing the fact that their child
can experience more hardships having a life decision that they don’t really want to
pursue.

In Bicol University, passing the BUCET or the college entrance test is a big
achievement for an incoming college freshman. Many Bicolanos aspire to be in this
university because of the quality education it provides. The entrance test is not the only
challenge in making it to BU, but the overall experience of being a college student. As a
university that is aiming to be a world class university and hone potential leaders of the
future, the expectation from the students are really high especially most of the alumni
had proven BU’s quality education by passing their licensure examinations and making it
to the top. Having this really difficult curriculum and surviving every semester is already
a tussle. Also, the pressure and fear of failing because of the parents’ expectations
affecting not just the students’ academics but also their stress and self management.

Research Problem

1. What are the struggles of being a first-born child?

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 2. Does personal and parental choice affects the dream of the first-born child?

Hypotheses

The dream of a first-born child is affected due to the dynamics of decision making as
parental and personal choice, thus having the child to face struggles in attaining the
parents’ dream in terms of:

a) Academics

b) Social life

c) Time management

d) Self-awareness/ Stress management

Significance of The Study

The findings of this study is distinctly essentials and advantageous especially to

the following:

Students. This research will help students, especially the first born students to
realize their own dream not only as dream rooted for the family but for their own.

Parents. This study will help parents to realize that shouldering their responsibility
as a parent to their first-born child is not helping their child to build a sense of his or her
own life.

Teachers. They can reflect on this study as guide to the understanding of the
realization that different students correspond to different needs

Future Researchers. This study will serve as a guide and reference for future
researchers in their own studies related to this research. They could also use this to

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develop further research about Filipino psychology on first-born children as an extension
of their parents.

Related Literature

According to a study entitled, “Attributions and Attitudes of Mothers and Fathers in

the Philippines” culture is a factor of how parents handle their family, child’s obedience,
the diversity in terms of gender and the part they portray inside the family. Parents view
most of their personal connection as controlled either by themselves or the child. Filipino
children usually puts first their role’s responsibility in the family before themselves.
Because it is encrypted in their mind that the things they had when they were growing up

should be payed like a debt as to show respect and gratitude to their parents (Alampay &
Jocson, 2011).

To support the statement above, an article entitled, “The Born Identity” states that
eldest children tend to have the qualities of both parent and may reflect most of their
actions by how their parents acts also. Thus, take the role of being the most responsible
yet independent child of the family. They possess great leadership and authority. They
are also the most persons to acquire and follow their parents attitudes and beliefs. Eldest
children can also be perfectionists and put pressure on themselves to succeed to make
their parents proud as the first born child in the family (Wilson, 2009).

On the other hand, according to a journal article in the review of educational

research entitled, “The How, Whom, and Why of Parents' Involvement in Children's
Academic Lives: More Is Not Always Better” having the parents’ influence in their
child’s education is one of the goal of educational policy. However, there are factors in
the parent’s involvement that causes negative impact to the child. It may be a good sign
for some children when their parents are actively giving attention to their academics but
there are children that says some parents are too much. Being in control and being

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supportive are two different things. Parents might think what they are doing for their
child is right because it is for the better but their child might not want that because it is
too controlling. Students need their parents’ guidance and support when it comes to
education but not rule over the true passion of the child (Litwack, Moorman &
Pomerantz, 2007).

Furthermore, an article entitled, “Helping Your First Overcome The Oldest-Child

Syndrome” by Carpio (2018) he mentioned that eldest usually are people-pleasers and
will do everything to meet the expectations they are given. They are also the people who
will feel downcast when they fail. These events may lead them to be perfectionist and
have obsessive tendencies. That is why they should be encouraged when they made a
mistake and not criticize them. Refrain from reminding them constantly that they are the
eldest they should do their best. And also, accept their works because everything they do,
they do their best.
A study revealed that on the parental point of view they see themselves as the most
influential individuals on their childrens’ life but at the same time they believe that on
their childrens’ career decision they do not and should not have much influence on it
( Taylor, Harris & Taylor S., 2004).

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 CHAPTER II

METHODOLOGY

Research Methodology

The researchers used ethnography as method of research in which the researchers

become part of the same community where the respondents existed hence, the
researchers are able to observe and interact with them.

Data Gathering

The researchers used unstructured interview where the researchers did not follow the
formalized list of questions and only asked open-ended questions. The researchers
interviewed six purposely chosen respondents in order to obtain the necessary data for
this study.

Data

The data used to conduct this study is derived from the data extracted from the
respondents. The researchers used a purposive sampling in which the respondents are
chosen due to a criteria or specific characteristics that it has. The criteria involve being a
first born child, and a student of Bicol University.

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 CHAPTER III

RESULTS, DISCUSSION, AND CONCLUSION

Results

The first respondent said during the interview that the choice of her course is
indirectly influence by her parents and not wholly her decision or choice. The respondent
also told the researchers during the interview the struggles of being a first-born
specifically the struggle of being a role model for her fellow siblings. Nonetheless
according to her, being a first-born she was not given the responsibility of having her
younger siblings to school after she graduated and have her job however, she will do so
even without her parents wish or advice.

The second respondent told the researchers that he does not have a preferred or
chosen course due to this, his parents influenced him in choosing his respective course.
The respondent also said during the interview that he find struggles specifically the
pressure and having several responsibility of being the first-born. However, the
responsibility of being a “bread-winner” is not given to him thus, he wanted to help his
parents in providing for their family after he graduated and have his own job.

The third respondent reported that her course is solely chosen by herself. She also
reported that she finds struggles as being first-born in academe, specifically in their home
where she is often disrupted in studying or unable to do her home works due to her
responsibilities. She also said during the interview that she is granted the responsibility
of sending her younger siblings to school after she have graduated and have her own job.

The fourth respondent reported that the decision of her course is her choice but
influenced by her parents. She also told the researchers that she finds struggles especially
in upholding and in doing the expectations that her parents granted her. She told the
researchers that her parents granted her the responsibility of sending her siblings to
school after she finished her study and have her own job.

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 The fifth respondent reported that her parents are the ones who have chosen the
course for her. She also said during the interview that she finds struggles for the
expectation of her parents and the pressure that she puts to herself. However, she is not
given the responsibility to send her siblings to school.

Discussion

The primary objective of this study is to identify the struggles of first-born child
and if it their parents’ intervention making life decisions affect their dream. Earlier
research suggest that the parents of first-born children directly influence their child thus
providing them a sense of “self” that is of their parents’ characteristics and personality
(Alampay & Jocson, 2011). Still, other studies provides awareness on the negative
effects of parents’ interventions on their first-born child, study of Litwack, Moorman &
Pomerantz (2007) emphasizes the guidance of parents rather than direct influence on
their child’s decision.

The result of the data revealed that there are decisions of first-born children that are
influenced by their parents. Exhibited by indirect influence of parents’ guidance to the
first-born children choice of course in college.

The result of the data also revealed that there are several responsibilities exclusively
provided for the first-born children only. Thus, these responsibilities provide more
pressure to the first-born child. Exhibited by the responsibility of being the role model
for their younger siblings and the responsibility of sending younger siblings to school
after the first-born child have graduated or have his or her own job.

Conclusion

With all the data gathered, the researchers were able to conclude the following:

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 The dreams of the first-born children are affected indirectly, by means of parental
guidance and sense of self that the parents provide to their first-born child.

 Thus, being the first-born, they find struggles and upholding their responsibility
and in doing their obligations.

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REFERENCES

Alampay, L.P. and Jocson R.M. (2011). Attributions and Attitudes of Mothers and
Fathers in the Philippines. Parents Sci Pract, 11(2-3): 163–
176. doi: 10.1080/15295192.2011.585564

Wilson, S. (2009). The born identity. Retrived from:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/mar/08/birth-order-identity

Carpio, C. (2018). Choosing A College Course: Child’s Passion Or Parents’

Will?.Parents Portal. Retrieved from
https://blog.edukasyon.ph/parent-portal/choosing-a-college-course-childs-passion-o
-parents-will/

Litwack, S.D., Moorman, E.A., Pomerantz, E.M. (2007). The How, Whom, and Why of
Parents' Involvement in Children's Academic Lives: More Is Not Always Better.
Review of Educational Research. Vol. 77, No. 3, pp. 373-410.
doi:10.3102/003465430305567

Taylor, J., Harris, M.D., Taylor S. (2004). Parents Have Their Say … About Their
College-Age Children’s Career Decisions. Retrieved from
https://www.fredonia.edu/sites/default/files/section/student-life/career-development-
office/_files/parents_say.pdf

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1. Is your course chosen by you or your parent?

2. Do you find any struggles as being a first born?

3. Have you been granted by your parents the responsibility of sending your younger
siblings to school after you have graduated and have your own job?

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