It is better to be the eldest child than the youngest one in the family. “Write a debate speech, proposing or opposing this motion.
“Mr. Chairman, honorable judges, misguided members of the opposition, and members of the floor: good day to all.
“Standing here today on this breezy morning as the third speaker for the proposition, I wish to continue where my teammates left off to correct the misleading information presented by the opposition.
“For instance, the second member of the opposition claimed that the youngest child will be treated more leniently than the others. Now, is this an advantage? By being treated too leniently, the child might think that his misbehavior is perfectly acceptable. Ever heard of the expression “Spare the rod and spoil the child”? It is true. Without strict and loving discipline, a beloved child might end up being the black sheep of the family. Now, the opposition contends that it is an advantage to be spoilt in this way. How can this be?
“The opposition has also pointed out that the youngest child is usually more pampered. I agree. But, again, is this good? It is indeed enjoyable to be fussed over, pampered and mollycoddled but what will this pampered child grow into? It is a maxim that too much or too little is no good: Once a pampered child grows up, he will be overly dependent on others, in other words, spineless. Would you like to be this spineless adult? I leave you to decide.
“Ladies and gentlemen, having straightened out a few delusions of the opposition, I shall present my own points. One of the advantages of being the eldest child is that he is used to being respected and obeyed by his siblings. This is because they know he is wiser and more experienced. This is a good feeling and it creates high self-esteem. This self-esteem will motivate him to succeed in every aspect of life.
“Undeniably, the eldest child will shoulder more responsibilities. He will often be left in charge of the younger ones. The eldest child is also cast as a role model for the younger ones. Thus, he has to try harder to maintain discipline and a high standard of behavior.
“The eldest child, having to cope with his siblings’ antics, will also develop patience. He may have to give in to his siblings because `they are too young to understand. Thus, he develops tolerance and understanding of other people’s weaknesses.
“All these points were described as ‘disadvantages’ by the opposition. They are only disadvantageous if you are unable to see the long-term benefits. You see, these momentarily trying circumstances will shape the child and prepare him for the challenges that lie ahead.
According to a survey conducted by the Home Ministry, an average of 3 out of 5 successful people — corporate leaders, lawyers, politicians — were the eldest children in their families.
“On to my next point, which centers on the word ‘privileges’. In most cases, the eldest child will inherit a greater share of the wealth. According to Chinese custom, the eldest son carries on the family name, therefore he deserves a larger share of the property. In monarchies, the eldest child is the heir to the throne, as in the case of Prince Charles. If you think that the eldest child is only privileged if he belongs to a wealthy family, you are wrong. The distinction is even sharper in poor families where the eldest child may be the only one whom the family can afford to educate or feed properly.
“So, there you have it. Clear arguments to demolish the opposition to this motion. And now I hand over to my opponents, to give the sensible ones amongst them a chance to start defecting over to our side. Thank you.”
