We’ve pretty much completely discounted astrology as having any meaningful impact on a person’s personality. But what about the seasons of the year, and the weather that comes with them? The stars position in the sky are an indication of the seasons on earth. Right? Wouldn’t a baby that is born into a world of sunshine and warmth have a different early development than one born into the cold and darkness of winter? Has any research been done on the impacts of a baby’s environmental conditions on their personality?
Somewhat related, I wonder how much of an effect birth month can have on a child’s school performance, social development, and athletic ability.
Where I live, a child is eligible for junior kindergarten starting in September of the year they turn four. A child born in January would therefore be around 52 months old on their first day of school. Meanwhile, a child born in December would be around 41 months instead. That is a substantial gap, and my experience with kids that age is that even a difference of a few months can see dramatic changes.
I’m personally thinking right now of my nephew, who starts JK in a few weeks. He will turn four right before Christmas, and when he returns from holidays, some of his classmates will start turning six because he’ll be in a combined JK/SK class. I can’t imagine how difficult it might be for him to keep up with those much older classmates, a situation caused by virtue of his birthday.
It’s not uncommon to hold November and December babies back a year for their first year at school, depending on their development for their age. Someone else commented that kids born closer to the end of the school year do worse in school.