A new study has found that parents are more lenient with younger children, allowing them more screen time and imposing fewer rules compared to their older siblings. The research, led by Monash University and published in the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organisation, analysed data from around 5,000 children aged two to 15.
The study examined how children spent their time, categorising activities into school, physical exercise, enrichment activities, and digital media. Enrichment activities included homework, reading, music lessons, and board games, while digital media encompassed television, video games, internet use, and social media.
Results showed that second and third-born children spent between nine and 14 extra minutes per day using screens compared to first-borns. The researchers noted that this increase in digital media time was largely driven by activities children did alone. They suggested that parents are more lenient with later-born children, being less likely to have rules around TV watching and video games, and that later-born children are less likely to perceive expectations to follow rules.
The findings mirror common portrayals in films and TV, such as the Bridgerton family, where eldest son Anthony shoulders heavy responsibilities while younger brother Benedict enjoys greater freedom. Time diaries completed by children and parents revealed that as later-born children grow older, the rules appear to loosen further, corresponding with increased digital media use.
