girls

girls

Friday, August 27, 2010

Twins in The Same Classroom

Wowee! The end of August is here and what a whirlwind! We returned to the South and had one week to prepare for days in school and evenings in activities. I put the twins in the same classroom again this year. It is always something to think about at the end of the previous school year, and I found myself discussing it with several twin moms. I very much appreciate that in my state, parents have the ultimate say in whether twins are in the same class or separated. This is a wise and compassionate law, because every twin family has different opinions and feelings about their own children, and not every twin will thrive in a mandated situation. Before we moved, the school district in which my twins attended school had a non-negotiable policy which separated twins. Not only was this a hassle for me (attending 4 different classrooms, etc) but the girls were genuinely sad to be separated from their best buddy all day, every day.
Now, I do some deliberation and have a conversation with them, then write a letter to the school principal with my choice. Other twin families I know let fate decide if their kids are to be in the same classroom, and some opt for separation. Of the families I know that separate, it is interesting to note that they are all boy/girl twins. A common theme with them is that the girl twin ends up spending much time nurturing the boy, not allowing him to be responsible for himself.
Like most decisions a family has to make, having twins together in a classroom or separate is a very personal one. It should be made with the children's best interest at heart and not dictated by a principal, superintendent, nor a lawmaker.

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