A University of York study has found no link between a child's day of birth and their destiny, reassuring parents that the age-old verse is simply "harmless fun."
The new study has debunked the popular "Monday's Child" nursery rhyme, finding no evidence that the day a child is born influences their personality, appearance or future success. The research confirms that a Wednesday's child is no more likely to be "full of woe" than a Monday's child is to be "fair of face."
The study offers reassurance to parents who might be concerned about the messages in traditional rhymes.
Modern values
Senior author, Professor Sophie von Stumm from the Department of Education at the University of York, said: "In an age where parents are increasingly concerned about the messages children encounter, our findings offer reassurance: nursery rhymes like 'Monday's Child' are simply harmless fun. While many older tales and rhymes might seem out of step with modern values, our research indicates they don't have any long-term influence on children."
The research team investigated the long-standing belief by analysing data from a large study of over 1,100 families with twins (the E-Risk Study), which tracked siblings from age 5 to 18. They tested whether the rhyme's predictions held true by looking for three potential effects:
- Self-fulfilling prophecy: A child born on a Monday and told they are "fair of face" might develop higher self-esteem, making them appear more confident and attractive to others.
- Confirmation bias: A child born on a Wednesday who knows the rhyme might interpret common feelings of sadness as proof of their "woe," believing they experience these emotions more than others.
- Parental influence: Parents of a "Tuesday's child," who is said to be "full of grace," might be more inclined to enrol them in ballet lessons, inadvertently shaping their development to match the rhyme.
Despite these plausible theories, the study found no connection between the day of the week a child was born and their outcomes. Instead, the results reaffirmed that other factors—such as a family's socio-economic background, the child's sex, and their birth weight—are far more significant in predicting a child's development.
Cultural sway
The researchers note that while the "Monday's Child" rhyme is well-known in the UK, it doesn't hold the same deep cultural sway as beliefs like the Zodiac years in China, where previous studies have shown such prophecies can significantly shape a child's life.
Lead author Dr Emily Wood, who conducted the research at the University of York, commented on the psychological appeal of such beliefs. "People like to have a simple explanation for their personality traits, a phenomenon exemplified by the long-standing popularity of astrology," she said. "Our study was a bit of fun, but it also reiterates that your family background and other environmental factors have a much greater influence on your life's path."
Professor von Stumm added: "We know these rhymes are rich in alliteration and vocabulary which has been shown to boost language and literacy, so parents should absolutely continue to share them."
