First-born kids are smarter than their younger siblings, and that’s due to mom and dad, according to a new study from the University of Edinburgh.
It starts early, according to researchers. On average, by age 1, first-born children score higher than siblings on average higher on IQ assessments. Five-thousand children were observed from before their birth to age 14 and assessed every two years. Reading, math, matching letters and vocabulary were among the fields observed.
So what’s the reason? Researchers say it may lie with the parents, whose behavior changes as they continue to have children. With the first-born, they take part in more activities that stimulate the mental growth of the child, such as reading and crafts. Those activities don’t occur as often with subsequent kids.
The researchers also say that mothers take more risks during later pregnancies.
