Effects on siblings close in age??????

[Zola78]

I'm sure this topic has been talked to death but I think I need some advice. I have to sons and have just found out that I'm expecting another baby. My first son is 2 1/2 and the second has just turned 1. The age gap between them is just under 18 months. The diffewrence between DS2 and the new baby will be 21 months.

What are want to know is not just how you made it through but what have the effects been on the children? If any. We planned this pregnancy with the notion that the first two are close in age and so we didn't want to leave too big a gap between any subsequent children (as happened in my family). But now I'm worried about academics, emotional, social and physical development. I guess just behaviour in general.

[SenoraPostrophe]

well, if anything ds2 (8 mths) has made ds1(3) and dd(4) easier to deal with. They are brilliant with him, and they can make him laugh when no-one else can. letting ds1 hold ds2 is one of the only things that will bring him out of a sulk.

can't help with academic stuff, but things look finr from here!

[Hallgerda]

Cheer up - after the baby's born you won't have time to worry about academics, emotional, social and physical development, so you will leave your children to get on with it. As they should.

I have a nineteen month gap between DS2 and DS3. DS1 (three years older than DS2) and DS2 are doing well academically. DS3 rather less so, but I don't think that's anything to do with the age gap.

On physical, social and emotional development, I would have thought any effect would be positive, from playing together.

[Zola78]

Thank you both for your comments. I think that I am just panicked. I have seen the positive effects of having my children close together already and I just hope I haven't tipped the apple cart too much.

[evenhope]

We have 19 months between 1 and 2; exactly 2 years between 2 & 3; and 2 years 1 week between 3 & 4 (then 15 1/2 years between 4 & 5 but that's a whole new thread )

I don't know how sibling gap affects physical development, but all four tower above me!!!

Academically we've had 3 get really good GCSE grades, followed so far by 2 lots of mediocre A level grades but both at first choice uni.

But they've all turned out OK. Articulate, polite to non-family, no major behavioural problems. They all text/ email eachother and seem to get on ok together.

[Gobbledigook]

Zola,

I have 19 months between ds1 and ds2 and I have 21 months between ds2 and ds3!

There are no down sides as far as I can see. Mine are now 6, 4.6 and 2.8. They are all as bright as buttons, sociable adn outgoing and each one loves their brothers to the ends of the earth. Yes, they bicker, all siblings do - but they are a fabbo little team.

There are no behaviour issues (apart from the normal 2 year old behaviour!!) - they are all just fine.

Academically, all of them are 'above average' if you like. Ds1 is the only one in school. By 6 months into reception he was on year 2 reading books. He's in yr 1 now and he's on year 3 reading books, top set for maths and in Feb he sat year 2 SATS papers with a small group from his class. So, no academic worries there!

Ds2 is in school nursery and he is also well above average on his letter recognition, numbers, simple sums and he can speak some Spanish as well.

Ds3 is only 2.8 but can count up to 30, dress himself, put his own shoes on etc etc.

What kind of effects are you worried about?

[Gobbledigook]

Ds3's vocabulary and speech is also very advanced for his age - almost everybody makes note of it. I think having older brothers has actually helped him - it's clear he's 'quick' to pick things up but because they do counting around him, talk a lot and play with him, he has done things a lot quicker than I expected him to.

He wants to do everything they do and is very independent - hence his ability to get undressed and dressed and put shoes on!!