Wherever you live in the world, many of the issues relating to raising multiples are the same. As multiples progress beyond the toddler years and enter school, they experience a whole new range of issues and parents are faced with new challenges. How do we ensure we are catering to the educational needs of our multiples? How do we navigate our multiples through the education system?
Class placement is one of the biggest dilemmas faced by parents of multiples. Will our school allow us a voice in the placement of our children – will the multiples be kept together, or will they be separated? How do we encourage their unique bond while treating each child as an individual?
Publications
AMBA offers publications and resources for school-aged multiples. Read more here.
Resources
Multinet
Multinet MBA was formed in 2003 to help fill the void in support and information on the raising of multiple birth children beyond the baby/toddler stage of their development. Multinet is a national club that works in conjunction with other multiple birth groups to ensure multiple birth families have as much support as possible as their twins, triplets (or more) move from preschoolers to "big school", university and beyond. Many of our members act as POSAM contacts (Parents of School-aged Multiples) in their own club and share their knowledge by attending Multiples-in-School evenings or as guest speakers on different topics for those wondering what it will be like when their babies grow up.
IMBAW
Presented by the International Council of Multiple Birth Organizations (ICOMBO), International Multiple Birth Awareness Week 2012 addressed schooling issues via the theme of "School Placement of Multiples – to Separate or Not?"
It is important that we inform the education authorities that multiples are to be treated as individuals and their needs are to be considered when making decisions about classroom placement for the children. Each family should be able to have some input into the decision-making process each year. Just as each child is unique, each set of multiples is unique. Some multiples thrive in separate classes; others thrive in the same class. Similarly, what works for a given set of multiples one year might not work the next year.
ICOMBO strongly believes that decisions about classroom placement of multiples should be made annually, on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with the parents and, if age appropriate, the children concerned. We believe that blanket policies on this issue are inappropriate. We support each and every multiple birth family in their quest to find the best educational outcome for their children and wish you well in your journey.
- Monica Rankin, Chair of ICOMBO
Downloads
From International Multiple Birth Awareness Week 2012
