Children growing up with an older sister may be more successful in life, a new study suggests. Having a big brother does not affect that much.
The researchers found that older sisters, more than brothers, spent time playing and caring for their younger siblings. Develop more activities that help children develop.
Usually research on children's development focuses on the role and ability of their parents. But researchers suspect that the role of older brothers and sisters is of particular importance.
To explore the impact of having an older sibling around, researchers surveyed 552 families in Kenya, including 699 young children who had an older sibling, ages 7 to 14. To find out who was offering the most stimulation to young children, the researchers surveyed the children's parents. They asked how many activities - such as singing, reading and playing - different members of the household are engaged with young children. They focused on these activities because these can help build vocabulary and motor skills.
On average, it turned out that the older sisters engaged in more stimulating activities with their younger siblings than any other member of the household. This was not the same result for the older brothers.
When analyzing all the data, the researchers found that having an older sister significantly improves young children's vocabulary and motor skills of the mind.
It seems that sibling relationships can be much more important these days as people are spending a lot more time at home.
