A quote from a modern writer (I forget who) and apt to the question here.
I am the youngest of 3 and we shared everything. Your toys weren't your own. On our birthdays we got to unwrap our presents but where then expected to 'share nicely'. which meant never owning anything unless bro and sis weren't interested in it. It has made me very VERY wary of losing ownership of things. Joint items (simple stuff like an electric drill) make me stressed - it's either mine or his. I have trouble dealing with anything in between. I live with it, and try not to let it change what happens at home, but the stress is there.
So, how did your childhood/parents screw you up?
Philip Larkin - This Be The Verse
They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.
But they were fucked up in their turn
By fools in old-style hats and coats,
Who half the time were soppy-stern
And half at one another's throats.
Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can,
And don't have any kids yourself.
My parents have made me curious, tolerant, able to debate, passionate about various causes, respectful of others, polite...
But there's other not so good stuff and I know that some of my faults and foibles are definitely due to my family upbringing.
Weird, what gets passed on!
Don't get me wrong - my Mum's decision to throw away the baby-book (after my bro and sis broke all the baby rules anyway) I had a childhood I would rate as excellent. With enough discipline to keep on the straight and narrow and enough freedom to skin my own knees and learn that mud-pies don't taste nice.
But some things just stick don't they? I was always the one dawdling along at the back, probably invetsigating a worm or a bug or something. My Mum's regular "Hurry up or we'll miss the bus/train" etc has left me with a hatred of being late myself and others being late.
I was the middle child until 4 years ago when 3 became 4 but grew up pretty similar to you foxy, 18 months between me and my brother but nearly 5 years between me and my sister. My brother and I shared everything and clothes were passed down from aunts and uncles and family friends. By time my sister came along both parents worked so she was brought up a bit differently, was spoilt and still is.
I babysat for people, did 3 paper rounds, went beating for the grouse/pheasants and did peoples ironing as well as other bits of 'work' I did. All my clothes, school trips, hobbies and things I wanted were paid for by myself from the age of 12 other than Christmas and birthday presents and school uniform.
I like to think of things as mine or his, he paid for it - its his, if I did - its mine. I have never quite got past that trait.
I like to think that I manage on my own, I don't run to my parents every time I am short of money or have a problem. I know if I ask they will help, they also know I would not ask unless it was very necessary. I think my childhood among other things prepared me to do that and as a parent if your children don't 'need' you, you have done something right in their upbringing (however much you may want them to need you)
The only slight problem I have with my childhood was a little lack of freedom. I give my son a little more freedom than I had.
My parents didn`t screw me up, I am the 3rd of 4, we shared what little we had, my dad worked for the coal board and my mum worked in all sorts of factories trying to give us a few extras.
We didn`t go on holiday, my parents have never had a car, my sister and I had clothes from the girls next door and we had new dresses for the Church Sermons and coats for Christmas off my aunts.
The toys we played with were things we made ourselves or trees we climbed and streams we paddled in and field we ran about in but I tell you it was a fabulous childhood because we were all close and my parents looked after us fantastically well with what they had.
The thing it has taught me is that you don`t need all the fineries in life, if I have it we all share it, the simple pleasures are much more valuable, being with people you love dearly and enjoying being in their company.
My parents are great parents and even greater grand parents, so sorry but no screw up here.
The poem contained a misprint. Larkin intended to write:
"They tuck you up, your Mum and Dad...."
I am what my parents and the world made me ..... make your own decisions about whether they did a good job or not
My parents did a good job but there was a huge generation gap between me and my dad and we both have tempers, when I went off the rails, those two factors were the problem.
I had some freedom as a teenager, my parents would say I had too much, I would disagree but say that I had the wrong sort of freedom.
My kids have strict no-deviation rules, however they have an awful lot more freedom than I had, but it is a lot more supervised.
Calista
However I guess there is always some stuff that sticks with you. My parents always worked they worked what would be described fairly normal jobs and they worked hard. Ive always been a bit adventureous thinking when it comes to money earning ideas however my parents words more so my Mothers of "keep you job keep your job keep your job" Do still echo about in my head. Would have been nice at some point one of them said "You know what! That sounds like a dam good risky idea why dont you take it" 
