6 Ways Being The First Born Makes You A Better Person
Are you the oldest child in your family? Congratulations! Being your parents’ first child is special. You are a leader for your younger siblings and you’re assumed to be the most responsible child. If you have been thinking being the eldest kid is a curse, check out the advantages listed below:
• They are more disciplined
The National Longitudinal Study of Youth, published in the Economical Journal, says the first-born has a tougher time growing up. Parents focus more on making their first-born disciplined. They expect more from them and they are disciplined more compared to their younger siblings. This may seem unfair but you often grow up being a better person who is loved and appreciated. Perhaps that’s the reason we often see the eldest child in many TV sitcoms so disciplined and well-behaved.
• They are more responsible
Being the first child helps you become more responsible. Parents often expect your help with your siblings, as a helper and babysitter. You try to replace your parents during their absence for and that helps makes you a responsible person, your parents and siblings can count on you. Being responsible is good and can help your entire life.
• Eldest Child = Higher IQ
According to a new study your IQ is somewhat dependent on your childhood status, it suggested that being the eldest is linked to a higher IQ, a fact backed by science. This study included analysis of 250,000 Norwegians aged 18-19 and found that older children possessed higher IQs than younger siblings. Another study was later conducted on Norwegian brothers, it found that first-born children had an average IQ 2.3 points higher than their younger siblings.
• They are special
Being the eldest child is a special place in your parents’ hearts. Parents are often more protective and enthusiastic when they have their first child, who is often pampered and coddled. When you receive special treatment from your parents you tend to give that love and concern back to them.
• They are role models
Being a role model to your younger counterparts can make you a better person. Young children often follow their older siblings, which makes the older child more responsible to be a good role model in theory. This behavior will benefit you throughout your lifetime, others will see you as a role model as well.
• Better education
A study by Jasmin Kantarevic and Stéphane Mechoulan states that the first child in a family is more likely to get a better education from allocation of limited resources in the family. Better education results in better lifetime earnings compared to younger siblings. The oldest child often sets the standard for education in a family.
