It’s a tough time in many parents of multiples lives, when deciding if they should put their children in different classrooms, or if they should keep them together, which is most likely what they are accustomed to. I, myself, am battling with this decision on whether to separate my triplets, since first grade is just around the corner. There are pros and cons either way. It’s up to the parents to decide what will personally be better for their twins or triplets.
Pros
1. Most schools actually recommend that multiples should be split up into different classrooms. Since they are considered somewhat of a pro in this area, there must be a reason for the recommendation, right? Many teachers claim that by separating multiples, it will help them shape individuality, and will be less of a distraction.
2. Many siblings fight and argue. This is just human nature. Some times it is for attention and other times it revolves around competition. Regardless, by separating your multiples into their own classrooms, you may be looking at creating a much more serene environment for the child and teacher, and hopefully less parent teacher conferences.
3. Regarding the social aspect when dealing with children, Splitting your multiples up into different classrooms, may encourage them to sharpen their social skills. In a household of multiples, the children are accustomed to having each other, but this can deter them from wanting or needing to make other friends. If the twins or triplets are separated in school, they can learn to make friends on their own, and become more social in different environments.
Cons
1. One of the cons of separating multiples in the classroom, is that they may get a bit of social anxiety. You have to think, these are children that have been together every day, every minute of their lives. Even if it is only for part of the day, separating twins and triplets can have a huge effect. Not only may there be anxiety, but that anxiety can effect a child’s academic performance and social performance.
2. Another con when separating multiples is that it can create a lot of extra work for mom and dad. Different classrooms have a different curriculum, while implementing different learning methods. With this, comes different homework assignments and different paces of learning. If the children are separated, parents have to find the extra time to sit down and help with two different assignments or lessons, since most likely, the children will probably be learning different things.
3. Although making different friends, outside of the household can be a good thing, it would be much easier on the parents if the children had the same group of friends. Different friends leads to different hobbies and interests in some instances. It also leads to different play dates, parties and arrangements. Life is busy when one child is involved, but can get a bit overwhelming when raising two, three, or more children at the same age level. If children are involved in different social environments, different sports, and different activities, this can take a toll on the trustworthy minivan and on the parent’s watches and wallets.
Just to name a few pros and cons above, it is up to the parent to make the right decision and find that happy median that will be suitable and more effective for both the parent and the child. When deciding if you should separate twins and triplets in the classroom, you have to look at what will not only be beneficial for the time being, but how your decision will impact their lives in the future.
