Split Your Twins Or Keep Them Together? The Choice Is Yours

For modern Americans, preschool is the first time they will have to send their children into the world without them. So, they spend their time selecting a safe preschool where their children will be stimulated but not academically overloaded and have the least traumatic milestone as possible. However, as the parent of twins, you have another difficult question to ask yourself: should you separate your twins or keep them in the same class? 

Should You Send Your Twins to Preschool? 

You should absolutely send your children to preschool. Preschool provides many important social, cognitive, and motor skills that will prepare your children to start learning in kindergarten and beyond. Twins, especially, may need this time to learn how to engage with their peers, begin exploring their individual interests, and begin speaking for themselves as individuals as opposed to part of a set. 

What Does Science Think About Separating Twins? 

A recent study found that while a lot of people have preconceived ideas about whether twins should be in the same classroom or different classrooms, there is no scientific data to support separating twins. The study found that kindergarten principles were more likely to believe that separating twins would increase their social and academic success, while teachers, parents, and twins were more likely to focus on the trauma of separating young twins. 

What Does Your Preschool's Director Think About Separating Twins? 

Before you enroll your children in a preschool, you should get more information about the school and find out if the school has a precedence of separating twins. Obviously, this will not be an issue if you are sending your children to a preschool that only has one class. However, if you are sending them to a larger preschool, ask if they will be assigned separate teachers or stay together, and then ask if that is a standard policy. Keep in mind that there are no state or national regulations in place that require twins to be together or separated during any of their schooling, so you should be able to consider both options and reach the best decision for your children. 

What Does Your Children's Teacher Think About Separating Them? 

Your children's teacher may have very good reasons for recommending that your twins stay together or go into different classes. the close bond most twins share can sometimes isolate them from other children or be a distraction in class. If you have identical twins, it may be difficult for other children to tell them apart, and some teachers end up mentally labeling twins, which can be limiting. 

However, many teachers are also well aware of the trauma of twin separation and may suggest that you keep your children together for the first year or two. 

What Do You And Your Children Think About Separating Them? 

Ultimately, the decision of whether to separate your twins or keep them together should be made by you with input from your children. Some young twins enjoy the idea of being separated in school. Others may resist, but you may think that your twins need to start learning independence from each other or perhaps they have a habit of not listening to authority when they are together that will make their preschool experience less effective. 

Whether you decide to separate your twins or keep them in the same class, you should take the time to prepare them for preschool. You should take them to the park or library when they will be able to interact with other children to begin setting rules for appropriate interaction with each other and their peers when they are in public. This, more than separating or keeping them together, will help them be successful in preschool and beyond. 


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