Study Shows Older Parents May Have Better Behaved Children

BOSTON (CBS) -- If you worry you may have had children too late in life, a new study in the journal Child Development should bring you some comfort. Researchers have found older parents are more likely to have well-behaved children.

While children born to older parents are at higher risk for genetic, neurological, and other health problems, but according to this study, they may have a behavioral advantage.

Researchers looked at data on more than 32,000 Dutch children and found that when either their mother or their father was older, they were less likely to be defiant rule-breakers or physically aggressive.

Older parents tend to be more financially stable and more highly educated, but they also may be more patient, offer more structure and provide a more supportive and nurturing environment for their kids.

While young parents may be more impulsive themselves and pass those tendencies on to their kids.