Second-Born Children More Likely To Be Troublemakers

If you happen to have a son who has an older sibling, you’re in for a wild ride! According to researchers, second-born children, particularly sons, are more likely to end up in jail, become juvenile delinquents or get suspended.

According to a study led by economist Joseph Doyle, the ‘curse’ of the second child may be more than just an old wives’ tale. The research revealed that second-born children, and more specifically sons, have a 25% to 40% increased chance of getting into serious trouble at school or with the law, when compared to the first-born child in their family. Ouch!

The researchers delved through a huge amount of data, which came from two different areas – Florida and Denmark. And when it came to crime and delinquency, the numbers were damning.

“I find the results to be remarkable that the second-born children, compared to their older siblings, are much more likely to end up in prison, much more likely to get suspended in school, enter juvenile delinquency,” Joseph Doyle told NPR.

“Across all these outcomes, we’re getting 25 to 40% increases in the likelihood of these outcomes just by comparing a second-born sibling compared to a first-born.”

So why is there such a difference in behaviour between first and second-born brothers?

Joseph says the first-born son has adult role models. But the same can’t be said for the next child.

“The second, later-born children have role models who are slightly irrational two-year-olds, you know, their older siblings. Both the parental investments are different, and the sibling influences probably contribute to these differences we see in labour market and what we find in delinquency. It’s just very difficult to separate those two things because they happen at the same time.”

There has been previous research indicating that first-born children do better at school, have higher IQs and often earn more money, but this study was the first that uncovered how naughty second-born kids are.

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111 Comments

- - mom303333 said
  - 07 Nov 2023
    11:06 am
Seeing my second born develop and start interacting with her older sister, I can definitely see this is 100% true

- - mom443421 said
  - 06 Nov 2023
    12:05 pm
Being a second born, I’m not sure I agree with this! I try not to generalize my children’s behaviours based on their birth orders and just let them be who they are!
- Ellen replied
  
  11 Nov 2023 , 7:17 am
  I agree with you, we must be careful not to generalize
- - mom223151 said
  - 05 Nov 2023
    3:14 am
Seem to differ in my opinion with second childs behaviour. Found quieter, and more of a leader with plenty of followers. Third child is more mischievous and a handful.

- - welshmummy said
  - 03 Nov 2023
    7:05 pm
I can agree with this. My second son was far more naughtier than his brother but although he’s caused us many a sleepless night wouldn’t change him for the world. Same happened with my hubby and his brother. They can be painful but I find very lovable.
- Ellen replied
  
  03 Nov 2023 , 8:26 pm
  Glad your 2nd son, your hubby & his brither are all lovable with their naughty streaks 🙂
- - Ellen said
  - 03 Nov 2023
    8:56 am
My 3rd shows lots of behaviours but has a list of diagnosis and has a history of trauma & neglect. We adopted her into our family at age 4. She’s 13yr old now.
She had in year 4 her first suspension and in yr 5 she had 17 detentions and 11 suspensions, which increased over the years. Since this term we moved her to a YMCA Vocational school

- - BellaB said
  - 02 Nov 2023
    9:35 am
My second born is mischievious but not naughty.

- - Rachell88 said
  - 01 Nov 2023
    8:44 pm
I am the eldest and I never noticed this with my siblings. But my hubby is the second child and it definitely rings true for him! Lol

- - Chloe.G said
  - 01 Nov 2023
    8:26 pm
My third is my terror ???? I had twins first up and my third singleton is definitely different to the twins

- - annyb74 said
  - 01 Nov 2023
    8:23 pm
My second was great. It was my third that was my terror!

- - Mum_Em said
  - 01 Nov 2023
    7:29 pm
My second is only 2 and he’s definitely not on the same level as my first. If he’s more of a trouble maker than my first I’m in a lot of trouble.

- - mom462038 said
  - 01 Nov 2023
    10:17 am
I’m always confused by these. My dad had 3 sons and my mum had 1 to different partners. Then they met and married and had another son, me and my sister. So am I 5th born or 2nd born?? I think my family would say I fit the 2nd child profile

- - mom466087 said
  - 01 Nov 2023
    7:07 am
100% I agree! Because they look at the first born and want to do exactly the same. Good and bad things…

- - nessjed said
  - 01 Nov 2023
    5:04 am
My mum says this about me all the time!

- - mom486197 said
  - 31 Oct 2023
    3:17 pm
Hahaha I wouldn’t know as I am an only child and also only have one child.

- - mom465683 said
  - 31 Oct 2023
    12:46 pm
Not sure if this is correct.

- - mom169700 said
  - 31 Oct 2023
    12:12 pm
When I read the opening paragraph to this article to hubby (who is the second child of his family) he agreed. He was suspended from high school. He said he was in jail but not as an inmate but working inside one.

- - rovermum said
  - 31 Oct 2023
    11:19 am
Hmmm, hard to stereotype. I think more the second child takes on different traits to the eldest child as a point of difference.

- - cassy26 said
  - 31 Oct 2023
    9:53 am
Nope, not in my house… lol

- - mom462038 said
  - 31 Oct 2023
    9:08 am
I’m a second child, while I didn’t get into big trouble, I was by far naughtier then my older brother.

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 31 Oct 2023
    9:00 am
Scary thought, but I’ve got high hopes for my son.