There are many interesting things that come from the science that investigates how our birth month shapes who we become. Whether it’s tied to our astrological signs or connected with research studies that factor in seasons and what we’re exposed to while in our mom’s womb, it’s fun to think about how these aspects shape — or don’t shape — who our kids might grow up to be.
If you’re expecting a little one in August, here are some fun facts about kids who are born in this month.
August-born babies are natural leaders
For a lot of people, the idea that the astrological sign we’re born under can shape our personality is pretty strong. For those unfamiliar, August babies are Leos or Virgos depending on which end of the month the birthday was.
Kids who are Leos — born between July 23 to August 22 — tend to be really good natural leaders. With a lot of compassion and big-heartedness, combined with the natural leadership and drive a Leo supposedly has, many August babies are primed for doing something important.
August-born babies are less likely to deal with depression
Researchers have been investigating how our birth month may play a factor in our health, and one study has shown that the season you’re born in can have a “significant impact on your risk of developing mood disorders.” One study, published in 2014, shows that kids who are born in the summer – such as August babies – are diagnosed with depression less often than other kids born during one of the other seasons.
There isn’t any definitive answer on why yet, but the leading theory has to do with exposure to different levels of vitamin D while in the womb.
August-born babies are slightly less likely to go to college
When our kids are born in August, they often start school almost a full year after the other kids because of where the age cutoff is. And that age difference, while technically less than a full year, can have a pretty big impact on how kids do at school.
One study found that for kids born in August who are the youngest in their class are less likely to go on to higher education at top universities than their older classmates.
August-born babies may be misdiagnosed with behavior problems when they start school
There are a lot of good things that come out of our kids attending school. One is that the teachers are able to observe them, and with their experience, can pinpoint any potential issue our kids may be facing. But if your kid is an August baby, there’s a chance they may be misdiagnosed with having an issue like ADHD, one study warns.
The diagnosis of ADHD being more prevalent in August-born babies has nothing to do with more kids born in August actually having ADHD. Researchers believe the connection is related to a maturity level with August kids often being the youngest in their class. Scientists have been looking at maturity levels of students in these situations to get a deeper understanding of why this keeps happening.
August is the most popular birth month
There are probably a lot of reasons why this fact about August babies is true, but science shows that it’s the most popular month for births.
What happens nine months before August? Well, it would have been around the holiday season, so people are more festive and cold, and likely to be staying indoors — all of which sounds like it would totally make sense for there to be a baby birth boom in August.
