3-Minute Read 

Saturday 10^th April marks National Siblings Day, so we are going to take a look at some interesting (and contentious) facts about Siblings. You may be the best of friends, or you may squabble endlessly, but you can't deny that your siblings will have shaped who you are today.

1. The Favourite Child 

News that will be no surprise to the elder and middle siblings – the youngest child is most often the favourite. A study conducted by Mumsnet concluded that the youngest child tends to be the parents' favourite. Even though your parents will never admit that. Hope is not lost though, a study by Katherine Conger proved that only 65% of mothers and 70% of fathers exhibited a preference for one child.

2. Kindness

After all those years of bickering with your siblings, you will be pleased to find out that it has actually made you kinder. According to Professor Laurie Kramer, on average, siblings between 3 and 7 years old engage in some form of conflict 3.5 times an hour. Despite this, having a loving sibling promotes charitable attitudes and good deeds in the world. As children grow up, they enjoy spending time together more, including for social activities such as enjoying a bottle of prosecco together or playing sport.

3. Your Career Paths

Comprehensive studies by the University of Edinburgh and Sydney University show that the firstborn gets an IQ and linguistic advantage from as early as one because they are the exclusive focus of their parents’ attention. Additionally, Disney recently concluded that where you are born into a family will determine your career path later in life. Middle children this is where you finally shine, you are 30% more likely than your siblings to become company CEOs and entrepreneurs, while older children are more likely to become scientists. However, unlike some famous sibling pairs that come to mind, such as the Williams sister, siblings are unlikely to reach the same level of success.

4. Romance

If you are unsuccessful in the dating game you can blame your siblings or lack thereof. Time spent with a sibling of the opposite sex will help you with members of the opposite sex! Reports show that men who grew up with a sister have a heightened degree of sensitivity and better listening skills, leading them to be able to maintain conversation more easily. Whilst, girls who grew up with brothers supposedly possess an attractive ruggedness in their characters. Therefore, those successful in love, thank your siblings who put up with you with a bottle of Pale Fox.

5. Humour

A YouGov study looking into the personality traits of siblings in British families asked children of varying ages a series of questions on how they perceived themselves. The results conclusively showed that the youngest thought they were more chilled and funnier than their organised and responsible elder siblings. Truthfully this is only how they perceive themselves, but you must admit the youngest sibling often cracks the funniest jokes, whether intentionally or simply because they are more likely to be daring. 

In celebration of Siblings Day, treat yourself and your siblings to a Pale Fox Gift Box.