You’re not alone if your second-born child is a bit more mischievous than his/her older sibling, and there’s now data to support that.
A study conducted by experts from the University of Florida, Northwestern University, and MIT found that second-born males are 20% to 40% more likely than their first-born siblings to experience issues in school or even with the law.
What, then, is causing this trend? Experts think it may boil down to role models and attention. First-born children are frequently influenced by adult behavior and usually receive their parents’ full attention. By the time the second kid is born, parents are juggling more, and the younger sibling may look up to their still-developing elder sibling as their primary role model.
This isn’t a strict regulation, though, so don’t worry about it just yet. Significant influences on a child’s behavior include personality, environment, parenting philosophies, and family dynamics. A second-born child is not always the class clown or the one sent to the principal’s office.
All the study does is point up trends that could provide parents a better understanding of sibling behavior. Where youngsters are always looking up to others, it’s possible that your second-born is figuring things out on their own and not just behaving out without cause.
No matter where a child is in the birth order, experts concur that they can benefit greatly from a little extra care and support.
