Older children are smarter than their younger siblings a new study says. As early as age 1 first born children score higher on intelligence tests than their brothers and sisters. The cause: Mom. Mothers try harder with their first pregnancies and first children. With subsequent pregnancies moms are less likely to breastfeed and and give less mental stimulation than with their first borns.

Key Takeaways:

• According to a new study published in the Journal of Human Resources, my brother and all of the other firstborn siblings out there may finally be able to claim that they can score higher on an IQ test than their much younger siblings.
• The authors found that mothers take more risks during pregnancy and are less likely to breastfeed and to provide cognitive stimulation for latter-born children. In other words… moms tend to relax when it comes to the second, third and fourth child.
• Variations in parental behavior can explain most of the differences in cognitive abilities before school entry. The findings suggest that broad shifts in parental behavior from first to latter-born children are a logical explanation for the observed birth order differences.

“Firstborn children received more mental stimulation and support”

http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1131988/firstborn-children-smarter