‘What do Angela Merkel, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Christine Lagarde, Oprah Winfrey, Sheryl Sandberg, JK Rowling and Beyoncé have in common?’ was the headline in the British paper The Observer in 2014. ‘Various other than riding saturated in Forbes list of the world’s most powerful women,’ journalist Tracy McVeigh wrote in response to her own question, ‘they are also all firstborn kids in their households. Firstborn children do excel.’

So what will it mean to be an eldest daughter?

Firstborns about The Eldest Child Impact: How Firstborn Females – like Oprah Winfrey, Sheryl Sandberg, JK Rowling and Beyoncé – Funnel their Talents Lisette Schuitemaker and Wies Enthoven attempt to uncover the big five characteristics that characterize all eldest daughters to some extent. Eldest daughters are accountable, dutiful, thoughtful, expeditious and nurturing. Firstborns are more smart than their siblings, more proficient verbally and even more motivated to execute. Yet at the same time they seriously doubt they are good enough. As an eldest little girl can have specific advantages, however the overbearing feeling of responsibility frequently gets in the way. Parents may worry about their ‘difficult’ eldest lady who wants to be ideal in everything she will whilst her siblings may not generally understand her. ‘The Eldest Little girl Effect’ shows how firstborn ladies become who they are and will be offering insights that may give them even more freedom to go. And parents will gain a better knowledge of their firstborn children and can support them even more fully on their way.