American psychologists conducted experiments showing that children with siblings outperform those without in understanding others' emotions. Growing up with siblings makes kids more attuned to others' thoughts and better at predicting their actions. Surprisingly, this ability increases with the number of siblings.
Psychologists suggest that in single-age classrooms, children possess similar abilities and knowledge levels. Under a uniform teaching model, children who develop at a slower pace may feel perpetually behind, fostering feelings of inferiority. Conversely, high-achieving children may become prone to arrogance.In mixed-age classrooms, both types of children find their needs met: those with lower abilities gain enjoyment from playing with younger children, while high achievers learn more from older peers. Children who frequently interact with older children demonstrate superior language expression skills.Moreover, with the prevalence of only-child families today, mixed-age classrooms compensate for the inherent lack of interaction with peers of different ages that these children might otherwise experience, allowing them to understand perspectives across various age groups.When a child enters a mixed-age class, they gradually evolve from a cared-for child into a caring big brother or sister. Their social role shifts from learner to mini-teacher. They understand what other children are thinking, accumulate rich, multi-layered social experiences, and continually adapt to and embrace their new role.