Research shows that mothers literally perceive their youngest child as smaller than he or she really is.

A lot parents always think that their youngest child is smaller or tinier than the older siblings. A new research shows how this happens.

I remember how my uncle who was the last born of my late grandmother, used to seat on her lap. He was most probably 4 times the size of my grandma and 5 times as heavy as the frail old woman, but we still always looked at him as the baby.

Scientists believe that the youngest child in a family may be perpetually the baby, as results of their research shows that mothers literally perceive their youngest child as smaller than he or she really is.

This “baby illusion” they say often shatters suddenly upon the birth of another child. They conducted a survey of 747 mothers and more than 70 percent of them reported that their first child suddenly seemed larger and older upon the birth of a second baby.

They asked the mothers to estimate the height of one of their children on a blank wall. The researchers then compared the marks made by mom with the children’s actual height.

Some of the children were older siblings, while others were either the youngest in their family or were only children.

They noticed that the mothers frequently underestimated the size of their youngest or only kids.  On average, the only children or the youngest children were seen as almost 7.5 centimeters shorter than they really were. In contrast, the mothers were right on target in estimating their older children’s height.

The scientists believe that this ‘illusion’ could be beneficial for children and parents alike, as it could lead to better caregiving because a perception of baby-like features, such as cuteness or smaller size, helps parents prioritize care for the child who most needs it.

Jordy Kaufman of the Swinburne University of Technology in Australia the lead researcher of the study said in a statement:

“Contrary to what many may think, this isn’t happening just because the older child just looks so big compared to a baby.”

 

“It actually happens because all along, the parents were under an illusion that their first child was smaller than he or she really was. When the new baby is born, the spell is broken, and parents now see their older child as he or she really is.”

 

“The key implication is that we may treat our youngest children as if they are actually younger than they really are.”

 

“In other words, our research potentially explains why the ‘baby of the family’ never outgrows that label. To the parents, the baby of the family may always be ‘the baby.’”

Do you think the “baby illusion” happens in your family?