It's incredibly easy to get baby fever again after you have your first born child. They're polite, happy, and everything you ever wanted in a child. So, you decide to have another kid and they turn out to be the exact opposite of what you expected.
They're more independent thinkers and seemingly give you a hard time with everything from feeding to walking and everything in-between. Well, the good news is that there's a reason your second-born turned out to be a monster.
Your Second Child Is A Monster? Same
If you look at your second child and think, "what did I do differently to raise such a different kid?" there's actually science behind it. So take a deep breath, relax, and stop beating yourself up over it because literally, every parent is there with you.
A recent study out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology investigated the impact of birth order on delinquency. They found that second-born boys are substantially more likely to exhibit delinquency problems compared to their older sibling.
Studies Show That Second Children Are The Worst Behaved
The study looked at an enormous number of children in data sets from the US state of Florida and from Denmark as well. In particular, the study's authors wrote, "We find that second-born boys are substantially more likely to exhibit delinquency problems compared to their older sibling."
In fact, second born boys are involved with the juvenile justice system on average 40% more than their older brothers. This tendency was also reflected in suspension rates from school, which are about the same percentages.
Shockingly, It's All The Parents' Fault
Interestingly enough, having two boys and adding a little sister to the mix will actually make the delinquency rates go down significantly. The study found consistency throughout both Florida and Denmark, which is important because they're vastly different environments for kids to grow up in.
But it begs the question as to why this even happens? Well, perhaps unsurprisingly, the result is based solely on time and attention that parents are giving to their kids.
Firstborn Children Get Most Of The Attention
Firstborn children carry a special place in their parent's heart because, well, they were the first one to bring mom and dad into parenthood. They have also been on the earth longer and have been able to form a stronger bond, for the most part, with their parents.
Firstborns tend to get more attention from their parents which results in the secondborn getting much less. This lack of attention can make the secondborn feel like they have to act out in order to get their parents' attention.
"Why Can't You Be Like Your Older Brother?"
"Secondborn children tend to have less maternal attention than do their older siblings," the authors wrote. They explain that firstborns get the benefit of their mother's maternity leave following their own births and following their sibling's birth.
Now, the study isn't to say that all secondborn children are going to turn out to be monsters, but it may help answer some of the questions determining personalities of birth order. It may also help answer the question, "why can't you be more like your older brother?"
