I've always known I was the smartest child in my family, now it's officially a proven fact. On Good Morning America today they had a segment on a study done by some Norwegian scientists. It showed that rank in the family showed higher IQ scores. Rank being oldest to youngest. If the first born died at birth, then the second born raised as the oldest still scored pretty high. What can I conclude from this study that wasn't already known? Nothing, really. I watch my little crew that I'm raising up and the differences between them. At 19 months, Landon's current age, Ethan was saying full sentences. I remember when Ethan was afraid of the smoke detector in the hall so he'd run past with his ears plugged chanting, "don't be scary, don't be scary. It's just a smoke detector, it's just a smoke detector". What does Landon say? Yesterday he said "daddy" plain as day. Today he said "poo-poo" and pointed to his diaper. Wow, obviously Landon is a true speaking genius. Was Ethan just born with an extremely high IQ? I'd actually like to think that ALL my kids are equally smart if given the same one-on-one attention. From day 1 of Ethan's life he was read to. He was the only person I conversed with on a minute to minute basis. Of course he learned to speak early. He was probably sick of hearing my voice and needed to make the conversation more appealing to him. Landon? If he and I are the only two people in a room, nobody is speaking. I take being alone with him as time to enjoy the silence. Read to him from day 1? I was just trying to keep him safe from his siblings. Is it really fair to say that Ethan is smarter because he's older, or is it just the way he was brought up? I was impressed that the Norwegian's actually took that into consideration in their study. Being an oldest child, however, I'm glad we finally get some positive notoriety. We are often shoved into the negative bossy,controlling,egotistical group of humans. At least now we can claim to be the smartest.*
*Sorry to those that aren't oldest children and might take offense to the above blog. I'm sure those of you smart enough to read my blog are indeed the exception to the smartest=oldest rule. Lyndsey, Charlie, Ben, Matt, and Katelyn--------In our family we all know there is 100% truth to the study.
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13 comments:
I've heard about this, too! I would have to agree 100%!!! =) But I do feel sorry for Brett. He is pretty smart, though. I've also read that the best marriages are those with the oldest and the youngest. But who knows?!?!
There have been books written about birth order. This likely isn't a new theory. At least I suspect it is theory.....
In my own case, being the oldest, I like to think it might be true. My siblings are quite intelligent, however, so I need to be careful.
My own children, listed in your blog, each in his/her own right, are anything but dumb.
It is a fun idea to play with, to tease and jossle, but be careful with it. One of your younger ones, when you least expect it, just might come up with something very astute and surprise you.
The oldest are also less fun. They need too much structure. HA HA just kidding.
I would completely agree that it's the fact that you have a lot more one on one attention with the first than the subsequent ones.
I am an oldest too. So I have to agree with everything you said :)
I am the youngest of eight! Should I be offended? Some people that don't know me well probably think I still haven't started talking! My oldest sibling is the most intellectual. But out of my whole entire family my nephew is the smartest of us all and he is a middle child. It all sort of evens out as kids get older. They all end up shining in their own way.
Are you passive aggressively calling me stupid? I kid... I kids :)
Uh... me not oldest... me very youngest in family... me no very smart...
So, if you are an only, does that make you the smartest, funnest, etc. -- basically all the good traits and none of the bad? I like to think so! :)
Well Jayne, I have to agree with the Norwegians (no offense to any of you pretty bright people out there) but the oldest are definitely the smartest. (And the most egotistical, the most bragging, and the most bossy.) :)
to be honest i always thought charlie was the smartest... i used to think i was the dumbest, but mom always tells me that lyndsey never got good grades when she was in school, so i think that means me and lyndsey are equal. actually, i got alot of one on one time with mom and dad, so i must be smarter than her, so basically that study is wrong because i am the youngest certainly not the dumbest.
So, how much did Charlie pay you to say that Kate?
yeah, but that research was based on men. katelyn (the youngest girl in our family) thought that the oldest boy in our family was the smartest. so where does that leave the oldest girl?
Well that sucks..I'm the youngest! As for my kids, I can see how it is true. You have so much more time to spend with your first and then the 2nd takes a hit. I can't imagine what it is after 4 or 5.
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