kids

Turns out there's a major benefit for kids raised by older mums.

A Danish study has proven kids of older mums have less behavioural problems.

And now, some news to make all older mums fist pump… if only we had the energy to raise our arms above our heads.

Older women make better mothers. Yep, new research from Denmark has proven it, beyond a doubt.

The Danish study involved nearly 5000 mums. It showed that the older women were, the less likely they were to hit their children or scold them. This resulted in children who had less behavioural, social and emotional problems.

This was found to be true for children at age seven and at age 11, from all socio-economic backgrounds. The differences appeared to fade by age 15.

“We know that people become more mentally flexible with age, are more tolerant of other people and thrive better emotionally themselves,” says one of the researchers, Professor Dion Sommer.

Listen: The mum who walked her way through a mid-wife crisis. (Post continues after audio.)

“That’s why psychological maturity may explain why older mothers do not scold and physically discipline their children as much.

“This style of parenting can thereby contribute to a positive psychosocial environment which affects the children’s upbringing.”

As an older mum myself, I welcome this finding… mainly because it makes a nice change from all the other findings telling me I jeopardised the health of my children by waiting so long to have them.

I’m not going to pretend I never scold my kids, because I do (and I feel bad about it). But I will say being older has given me more time to reflect on what was good and bad about my own upbringing, and think about different parenting styles. I’ve learnt how impressionable tiny humans are, and how important it is to treat them right.

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But let’s be honest here: everyone will forget about this study next week when a new one comes out that makes young mums look good.

older mothers
"The study showed that the older women were, the less likely they were to hit their children or scold them." (Image: iStock)

The older vs younger mothers debate is a tired one. There are no real winners. Yeah, younger mums are cooler and bouncier. Older mums are richer and wiser. It’s a tie, okay?

We should look at what this study is really saying: that hitting kids and yelling at them isn’t good. It might get the result you’re looking for in that instant, but it isn’t really helpful in the long-term. It just makes behavioural problems worse.  

So let’s all take away this one important point: be kind to your kids.

(And older mothers are the best. Today, anyway.)