If you have an only child and you’re thinking about a second one, take a look at how older siblings are influential when it comes to education. According to a recent study, younger siblings are influenced by their older sibling’s educational achievements.
The University of Essex found that having an older brother or sister helped a child’s learning. According to one of the researchers, Birgitta Rabe, “The older sibling’s achievement may have a direct effect on the younger sibling’s school grades if the older sibling teaches the younger sibling or helps with homework; the younger sibling imitates the older sibling, for example in their work style, or conversely tries to be different, for example to avoid competition the older sibling passes on important information about educational choices or school and teachers to the younger sibling.”
Children in larger families and lower income actually do better than kids from higher incomes. This “sibiling spillover” may be younger siblings wanting to do as good or better than their older siblings.
