CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Without exception you are one of the followings: the oldest or the youngest or named after some relation who has passed away.
Alfred Adler (2006) said that birth order influences personality. He argued that birth can leave an indelible impression on an individual is style of life, which is one’s habitual way of dealing with the task of friendship love and work. According Adler, Firstborns are “dethroned†when a second child comes along, and this may have a lasting influence on them. Young and only children may be pampered and spoilt which can also affect their later personalities. Birth order can be affected by these, the spacing in years between siblings, the total number of children and the changing circumstances of the parents over time.
Women (2001) see the environment and family as one of the major influences that can affect a child’s academic achievement. Also, through further research other writers like Dennis-Coon and Glean Myers Blairs, R. Stewart Jones and Ray H. Simpson have identified how far birth order and gender can influence students’ academic achievement.
Duntoye (2002), parents with small number of children have enough time and attention for their needs.
Bukoye (2002) emphasized that parents have great influence on their children academic achievement and career aspiration and can definitely convince them to pick after them. The economic strength of parents determines how they can help the child in academic achievement and career in life.
Fatola (2002) emphasized that some emotional problems brought from home can affect learning thereby causing poor academic achievement of students.
First borns and only children acquire quality education (Adams 2000; Ernst and Angst 2001; Travis and Kohu 2002).
Manaster et.al (2002) showed the role of gender and birth order on educational attainment in Japan. Attribution of failure first born males and first born females were more likely than later born males to blame failure lack of effort and circumstances beyond control, whereas other males and females blamed failure on lack effort alone study, it was also shown that grandparents stressed to first born males while they were growing up that they must study properly to avoid bringing shame to the family. This was not stressed to other males nor to females. Language and cultural instruction, firstborn males received at least little training and instructions.
Michael E. Lamb and Brian Sutton Smith (2000) made point that
siblings relationship often last an entire life time. They pointed out
that life span view proposes that development is continuous which
individuals continually adjusting to the competing demands of
socialization agent and biological tendencies. Thus, even those
concerned only with interactions among young siblings implicitly or
explicitly acknowledged that all relationships change over time and that
any effects of birth order may be eliminated, reinforced or altered by
later experiences.
Walter Tolman (2000) believes brothers and
sisters often turn to each other when parents cannot meet all their
psychological needs. Thus, a child relationship with brothers and
sisters may serve as training ground for adult attitude and
relationship. Since there is no one that is an inland the support of
siblings is very much needed for the academic achievement of each
student and this can come in the area of doing assignments projects
etc.
All Part (2003) said that personality is the
dynamic organization within the individual of these psychological
systems that determine his unique adjustment to his environment. Mostly,
the personality position of a child determines to some certain extent
what he might become in life. Birth order or ordinal position can leave a
lasting imprint on adult personality.
Belmont and Marolla
(2001) emphasized that birth order effects can be stated only as broad
patterns. Being first or later born child does not mean that your
personality will fit the preceding descriptions. Countless factors
including the number of children in a family, age difference, age of
parents can modify birth order effects. Nevertheless, when large samples
of people are considered birth order and gender effects typically
emerge,
Alao (2008) in explaining how the family atmosphere
affects a child’s value and sex roles, he explained that family
constellation and methods of upbringing or child-rearing practices
affects a child’s academic achievement. He claimed that parents have a
paramount role in the children is life. According to him, the complex
relationships of the child with the mother, father and other siblings in
the family affect the development of character and mental health. It
thus becomes very imperative to study a situation where his claim does
not operate in relationship to mental health and academic achievement of
such children.
Related or relevant studies have been done by
Olisa (2001) Ogunlade (2002) Ogundele (1989) and Nwachukwu (1998) on the
influence of family background variables on the academic achievement of
students in secondary schools.
Ezewu (2004) explained that the
practice of leaving children under the care of paid workers in recent in
the Nigeria culture, rather these children are given to extended family
members by their biological parents for upkeep or upbringing.
It is a common practice in Nigerian society to see parents giving out
their children to other family members for upkeep care and nature. Many
of these children so given out face diverse problems as they grow and
develop especially those who are of school going ages one of the such
problems could hinder their academic achievement and thus need to
provide counselling services to such children especially those in
secondary schools.
The need for proper study of these students’
academic achievement and their home background is imperative so as to
identify their academic problems or achievement level and counselling
needs as applicable.
Ezewu (2006) stated that the various family
systems, monogamy, polygamy, polygyny or polyandry have their children
rearing patterns based on the influence of the social set up under which
a particular system is being used. In Nigeria, for instance, a family
given out his children to extended family members in contrast to the
nuclear types of the western of developed world where adoption is
rampant. He (Ezewu), believed that a child can therefore be fostered in
extended family homes of grand-mothers/fathers, aunts etc. for various
reasons, such reasons can be social economic, cultural or other
considered exigencies of life. It is concern of this study to relate,
where necessary, such fostered or non-fostered students to their
academic achievement with its attendant problems and counselling needs.
Adefila (2005) in her study of child rearing practices among the Ibo
and Yoruba people in Nigeria found that Nigerian parents desire to have
many children. As in any other African societies, family solidarity is a
passion among Nigerians. She discovered that no matter where the family
might level, where in the city or the smallest village, the extended
family tradition is carried on.
Inference from this may suggest
that children given to these family members for upkeeping and blood
relationship intact without much concern for what happens to such
children.
Ezewu (2006) asserted that a child, if he enjoys the
affection of both parents, he will quite likely grow up to be a good
adult members of the society, the word likely here posses a controversy.
It shows that the author realize the effect of environmental influences
on the child whether reared within the biological parents home or
elsewhere. It affords, therefore am bivalence in the growth or the
personality of the child. This study tends to show such environment
influences on the child whether fostered or not, in relation to its
academic achievement and counselling needs.
Claire (2002)
realizing the vital impotence of family contract on a child said that we
are by nature gregarious animals and we suffer real deprivation,
physical and intellectual as well as emotional, if we lack contact with.
Thus, providing adequate family and adequate amount of contact
with other people is an essential part of good child care. What Claire
is saying is that family contact is very essential for the overall
development of the child’s personality. Hence, there is the need for
both parents to jointly bring up the child. What happens to jointly
bring up the child. What happens to fostered and non-fostered
students/children in relationship to their academic achievement and
counselling needs becomes an issue or question for this research to
answer.
Alao (2008) explained how the family atmosphere can
affect a child’s personality. He argued that the life style or
personality of the individual evolves from a combination of family
atmosphere and value, sex role, family constellation and methods of
child rearing.
