Every scribble our firstborn did was proudly displayed on the fridge but our fourth kid’s artwork is destined only for the bin

Artwork fridge displays generally become a thing of the past after the firstborn. Photo: Getty/picture posed

Bill Linnane

Firstborns have it all. They like to complain that they had to break through numerous glass ceilings and be the ones who improved the lot of those who followed. Even though they were the first to get caught with a naggin or lowered the age of mobile phone ownership by a couple of years, they also generally get the best of everything. Beyond the fact they don’t have to endure hand-me-down clothes and toys, theirs is the most joyous arrival, their first steps are treated like those of Neil Armstrong on the surface of the moon, and their first day at creche or school evokes scenes akin to the end of Sophie’s Choice.