With special guest:
- Michael Grose
… in conversation with Bill Kable
Everybody knows where they fit in their family. But what effect does that position have on our lives? Today we get to hear about the significance of that positioning in the family constellation.
Our guest Michael Grose has inspired, informed and entertained audiences around the world. He has a passion for spreading the word about the profound impact of birth order on individuals, families, schools, workplaces and communities. One example we hear about today is what Michael calls The Prince Harry effect. On the world scene the differences between the first-born Prince William and the later born Prince Harry are extreme.
Michael’s new book Why First-Borns Rule the World and Later-Borns want to Change it, covers a broad scope. All of a sudden we get some understanding of why there is a swing to the conservative side of politics. We find out why children in the same family with the same upbringing can be so different. We find out a lot about ourselves.
And yet one of the most frequent questions Michael is asked at seminars is why in some cases the expected behaviour from a particular birth order does not eventuate. Michael explains to us that when this happens some more questions need to be asked. Has the middle child assumed a first-born role? Is there a gap between the children? Does the first-born child have a disability?
Michael himself is the youngest in his family with a six year gap to the child before him. It is fascinating to hear Michael’s insights on what that has meant to him. On a broader scale what would birth order mean for a team, say, picking the crew for a mission to Mars?
Each position in the family has good and bad points. If we want the best out of our leaders, our teachers and ourselves Michael is strongly of the view that we have to get an understanding of the importance of our position in the first group we join, namely our own family.
This book is not only very entertaining but it also has a very important message.
Michael Grose
Michael Grose is one of Australia’s leading parenting and educational writers and speakers. He has written 12 books for parents, including Anxious Kids co-written with Dr Jodi Richardson. Currently he supports over 1500 schools in Australia and internationally to build strong partnerships with their parent communities.
Michael was recently elevated to the Professional Speakers Australia Hall of Fame when he won the Educator Award for Excellence. He was the first person to conduct a parenting seminar for a nation’s leaders when he ventured into Parliament House, Canberra, in 2004 and addressed politicians on both sides of the political fence about how to behave so your children will too!
For more information and practical ideas on parenting visit his website: www.parentingideas.com.au.
Song selection by our guest: How to Make Gravy by Paul Kelly