relationships

same parents. same home. but TOTALLY different

two peas in a pod

Kids to the same parents. Same home. Same environment. But TOTALLY different.

I got thinking today.

One loves banannas

One hates banannas

The other loves simple toasted cheese sandwiches. While the other would beg for a chicken casserole with lots of vegetable.

One is totally creative and loves the arts. While the other can only go as far as drawing a stick figure man, maybe with a stick-figure looking house beside.

Loving sports, soccor and following all things football and cricket. “What is cricket?” asks the other.

So how much does genetics play in the development of who our children are? And how much does the environment in which they grow up play a role?

Assuming two kids live in the same environment for the majority of their childhood, you could then say personality is based on genetics?

But assuming both these children have the same parents, same blood line, same genetic makeup, then you could assume it is the environment?

Is there an answer? What is the answer? How are kids born to the same parents, same home, same environment TOTALLY different?

Social interactions, past experiences, possible trauma, birth order – first, second, third and so on… maybe these also have a role to play?

Can we really ignore these factors?

Is there an answer? Will there ever be an answer? Or do we just accept the difference and not question?

 

How are you different to your siblings? Are your children ‘poles apart’?


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  • http://melgardener.wordpress.com/ MelGardener

    My children share many characteristics yet remain indellibly individual. One is a people-pleaser, the other is very much her own girl. Food tastes are very similar, as well as likes/dislikes for toys/games/TV shows. They are separated by 4 years so I think it will take a bit longer for our youngest to really reveal her personality – at the moment she is very much influenced by her older sister.

  • http://www.puddlesandgumboots.com Kate @ Puddles and Gumboots

    My children are all wildly different yet they share a lot of similarities. I’m particularly fascinated by how different my twin girls are from each other. I do think envronment and genetics play a part but ultimately we are all individuals

  • Tahlia

    Thankyou for your comments ladies. Mel, I can imagine your youngest soaks up so much from her older sister. The lessons they learn from her older sibling is just extraordinary.

    Kate, twins are fascinating in how some are so similar and some are so different. Absolutely genetics play a part but there has to be something else when they are so different in many ways, yet so similar in other ways.