Younger is not always better

Younger is not always better

Are you one of the youngest or oldest in your grade? Researchers at the University of Alberta have been studying the effects of children’s age compared to their peers on their self-esteem. They have come to the conclusion that children tend to be better off as adults if they are one of the oldest in their class. According to Dr. Gus Thompson, this connection is called the relative age effect. There have been studies performed in the past that led to the conclusion that older children when compared to younger ones experienced more success in competitive environments.

Thompson is suggesting that the more success a child is exposed to at a young age the higher his/her self-esteem may be in the future. "Given all this evidence, I would encourage parents to consider deferring school entry if the child is going to be among the youngest in Grade 1," Thompson said. However, this success that Thompson refers to does not translate to persistent applauding by teachers and parents, quite the opposite.

Clearly, it is not the end all be all if your child is one of the younger students in their class and it does not mean that if you are one of them that you have a low self-esteem. Thompson points out that there are many other factors, such as family life, teachers, and genetics that make up a child’s self-esteem.