The differences between children

@wmaharper (2316)
United States
January 30, 2007 9:15am CST
I have two little boys, when my second came into my life, I thought he would be just like his brother, I had always heard that every baby was different, but for some reason I didn't think that would apply to my own. My boys are very different in many aspects, already at such an early age. My oldest was a very easy baby, besides the fact that he didn't sleep through the night until he was almost a year old, My youngest has proven to be difficult most of the time, although he has been sleeping through the night since he was 6 weeks old. They are already very different in that my youngest will throw a fit about ANYTHING.. he is very passionate and gets very upset and LOUD when something is happening that he doesn't like, my oldest is usually quiet (as quiet as a 2 year old CAN be) and is and has always been pretty compliant (he did go through a stage of defiance, although it only lasted for a couple of months). I am amazed already at how different they are. Have you noticed the same with yoru own children?
10 people like this
46 responses
@simplysue (631)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I too, have two boys. They are 14 years apart. Where my first son was very easy,calm and content most of the time my second son is like a lil tornado ripping through the house! LOL That is the major difference between them. They are also the same in a lot of ways. They are both bright,sweet and lovable as can be. :)
2 people like this
@aidonia (4209)
• Greece
31 Jan 07
Easy and calm or difficult naughty a child always will be sweet and lovely for him mother!
1 person likes this
• Canada
30 Jan 07
Actually, I grew up with 5 sisters and a brother, and I KNOW that not all kids are the same just from listening to my mother, and being a part of the family. I knew that my kids were going to be different, and I looked for those differences and aplaud their individuality everyday.
2 people like this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
31 Jan 07
Yes both my Children where different My Son was a very quiet easy going Baby and when my Daughter came along did we know it or what lol She was very lively and also decided to keep Mum up most the night lol but I loved every Minute
1 person likes this
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Yes, children/babies are wonderful, I never thought I would be happily sleep deprived, but it more than worth it. Thankyou for your response.
• Australia
31 Jan 07
I had five sons. They all looked alike, although one was slightly different. They all behaved alike, though a different one wasn't quite as quick to respond. They all ate all the food that was given to them. Since they all had the same upbringing, and discipline, they all behaved the same way. As they got older, they began to develop different tastes in sports, hobbies, and interests, and started to develop their own likes and dislikes and personalities, but even today they all have the same basic type of nature.
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
(: wow, that must be very interesting to watch them interact. I know my husband is always laughing because my sister and I have very similiar mannerisms, we stand alike alot, or say very similar things, he thinks it's quite funny as he doesn't have any full-blooded siblings to compare himself to. On the other hand, we are very different in that she doesn't mind if things are messy, and it drives me nuts, but we both were in track although she ran hurdles/sprints and I did long jump/long distance. (:
• United States
31 Jan 07
Well...my first son was an angel..my second isnt here yet..but already the pregnancies are SO completely different, and the behavior of this one even in the womb is much more fiesty than my son was. This one is much more playful in the tummy, much more active, and even the heart rate is faster than my first son's EVER was. We already know we are having another boy...because unlike the first one..this one was WAY proud of what hes got lol.
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Ha, my oldest was very active in the womb, and is very active now.. he is a handful, always runnign everywhere, but it's fun and keeps me active. Thanks for the response.
• Bermuda
31 Jan 07
I am a twin, and growing up me and my brother had 2 completly different personalitys...and we were a hand full...lol...im 21 now...and we are even more different than eachother.
1 person likes this
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
wow, I'm sure your mother and father were amazed, as many people believe (obviuosly it'a a false belief) that twins are basically the same. Thanks for the response.
@Mommamea (1215)
• United States
31 Jan 07
I have 4 kids. Three girls and then my son. All of them are completely different. Even in their looks. I have a red head, brunette, blonde and my son has brown. They are totally different in their demeanor as well. My oldest was so mild mannered and shy the 2nd was independant and cocky the 3rd was trying to do what the older ones did and my son is carefree and rambunctious. As they have grown older they have continued to change in all different ways. How was your attitude and demeanor when you were pregnant with them? Do you find the information about what you do while pregnant will determine the way your child will be when they are born to be true? I have in some ways.
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Well I really haven't made many connections about how I was when I was pregnant in comparision to how they are now, but I can tell you that my oldest was VERY active in the womb, and I thought it was how every baby was, until I had my second, whom I barely felt. My oldest has done everything early and is still very active, he can run in circles forever, outrunning boys twice his age, My youngest is quite active compared to other babies, but not compared to his big brother. SO we'll see what the future holds for him, as he's only 4 months and could and problably will change alot still. Thanks for your response.
@michele609 (1687)
• United States
31 Jan 07
I have twins and one is a boy and one is a girl and they are totally differnt. My daughter is very quiet and sweet but she does have a attuitde that will make you say WOW. My son on the other hand is very loud and always running around he thinks that he runs the world. But at times he can be very sweet but never quiet. I thoughtthem being twins will make them alike ,oh how wrong was I.
1 person likes this
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Ha, that's good, I think if they were too much alike, that you would get a little bored, always knowing what to expect. (:
@GardenGerty (160978)
• United States
31 Jan 07
My kids were quite a mix of sames and differences. Even in the foods they liked. They were also quite different in their response to discipline. Both are adults now, and still are good friends. They always seemed to like each other's friends. Thery are both very good, very smart people. One travels, one will always live in our small town. One was a saver, one was a spender. Both were incredibly intelligent, and both are very kind and moral. There was even a year when they seemed to change personalities.
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Yes, my mother always says similiar things about us, that we are very different, but there are alot of similiar qualities within us as well. Thanks for your response!
@Mamaof2 (574)
• Canada
31 Jan 07
My children are very differnt as well. My daughter (almost 9 now) has always been a very self determined individual. She has alwys known what she has wanted..since a very early age and was very independent. My son on the other hand is totally different than her. He is very dependent on me and my husband. He is 2.5 years old and to me..I still see him as a baby in a sense. Because he is so demanding & not very independent. I often wonder if it is the way that they are raised that develops their personality...at least with traits like that. I was a young mother with my daughter trying to work full time and go to school. Leaving my daughter with the babysitter most of the day..and for the most part entertaining herself while I tried to get school work done. With my son, I was able to stay home with him...so maybe because I was always there to entertain him and jump for every little thing he needed he has become more dependent on me. Make sense really...
1 person likes this
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Yes, I too wonder if how they are raised has a major impact on thier personalities. I know with both of my boys I was home all of the time with them.. but with my oldest, we did go out more.. and he saw his friends more.. my youngest is still too young to appreciate friends, and hopefully by the time he is old enough we will have some new friends here. Thanks for your response!
• United States
31 Jan 07
I have three children and I have noticed this with each one of them. My son is the oldest and he was my easiest until now. He has just left home and that has been really hard for me to deal with. My second child which is my first daughter was a very good baby, she is very easy going, and loves to be cuddled. My third which is my second daughter likes to be cuddled and that is the only thing that she has in common with her older sister. My youngest is very emotional and very bull headed. Sometimes she is just so hard to get along with. It is really nice that they are so different though because this is where they each get their own unique personality.
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Yes, I agree, I like it that My boys are so different, I like to always be discovering new things about them.
@lifeiseasy (2292)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Yes for sure ..I have three girls and they are like night and day their diffrences...its is funny when you think about . how did it come about from the same parents to be so different ?? Same genes ..I wonder
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Yes, it is amazing, especially when they are the same gender, for some reason you think they will be very similiar and it's quite a surprise when they are not. Thanks for the response.
@XxAngelxX (2830)
• Canada
31 Jan 07
I have three children and they are all very different from each other. My oldest is twelve and she's such a drama queen. Everything and I do mean everything is HUGE to her, lol. And things always have to go her way or no way. My son is eight and he's your typical boy, loves to play in the dirt and do all the boy things. My youngest is seven and she's the one we'll have to watch out for, lol. She'll try everything once just to say she did it.
1 person likes this
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
(: It sounds like you enjoy them very much. I know it will be interesting for me to see how much more different my little boys will be as they grow. THanks for your response.
• Australia
30 Jan 07
It is true that every child is different to each other. Some says that the difference can be influence by what the mother is feeling.. what the mother did.. how the mother behave when they conceived the child.. You should be grateful to have two different child :) it makes a variety in your household ehhehehe Since I dont have a child of my own.. I can relate to what my mom told me when me and my younger bro were kids.. We were different from each others.. even until now.. I was very casual, brave and dont care much about what other people think when Im doing something.. I can approach strangers and start a conversation.. I make friends very easily and have heaps of friends.. Im still quite the same until now.. just a bit tamed :P While for my brother.. he is on the quite side.. think carefully before doing anything.. sort of afraid of failure.. think before he spoke.. very sensitive to other people feelings.. he doesnt make friend as easily as I am.. but those friend that he has.. he value them very much.. and they became best friend over time.. although nowadays that he is a teenager he start changing for the better.. and became more outgoing and confident in himself :)
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Yes, there are definently differences like that in my family as well. I grew up with a sister and two brothers and I can honestly say, that while some of us have some similiar traits, for the most part, we are very different. Thanks for your response!
@crystal8577 (1466)
• United States
30 Jan 07
All 3 of my girls are different. My oldest was the most easy going, loving little girl. She was that way until Kindergarten. Once she got to school she started to get an attitude. She is still very loving & thoughtful though. She loved to be held & was always giving EVERYONE hugs & kisses. My middle child hated being held. She only wanted to be held if she was sick. She was very independant which hurt my feelings a bit lol. She had a lot of medical problems at a baby which made her a bit hard to handle. She was also constipated a lot so she was in pain. She grew up to be very loving though. She is almost 6 & still a mommy's girl. Our youngest is a cross between the two. She loves to be held, but has gas which makes her fussy. She is only 5 weeks old so it is hard to see a lot of her personality yet. I love that thye are all different though, keeps life interesting.
1 person likes this
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I agree with you, I would hate for them all to be the same, and I love that my two guys are different, it is hard sometimes to know what to expect, but it's what makes life so great.
1 person likes this
• China
31 Jan 07
It is ture that baby are different. I have big difference with my brother in nature. He is very extroverted, but I am little introverted. It is good that you have two babies they are different, and both are so lovely. So you can live with two kind of loveliness.It is very interesting.
@kabella50 (309)
• United States
30 Jan 07
Of course.When I was raising my 5 kids i too was surprised to realize that each one is an individual person.I had read an astrology book Linda Goodman on the sun signs of kids and parents and that really helped me understand how i treating them.Each child is different and you'd think we would have easily figured that out,but these kids are part of two people and apples don't fall far from trees.I am sure he acts like one of you at that age.Some kids require more patience than others.Some kids require more tenderness than others,even in diciplining them,each one will require different tactics.learn them and don't worry over their ways too much.Children like structure and stability and believe it or not they like deicpline as well.Have fun and look at them as little people that you can guide and teach.In them is all the possibilities of what you didn't know before and what you know now and can pass on to them.
1 person likes this
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Thank you for your response. Yes, I have always thought the same that children love and even desire discipline, it is good for them and makes them feel secure. I am already amazed at how different they are and we are still learning them BOTH (and I hope that I never stop learning new things about my children). Thanks again!
@alaguc (61)
• India
31 Jan 07
i have a brother and a sister and from this side i can tell you we are all verry very different each and every one of for that matter.....but when it really matters....welll get together just the same....lol
1 person likes this
@quispy (572)
• United States
30 Jan 07
My 3 boys are very different. All of them slept through the night at an early age, 6 weeks. My youngest was the hardest infant. Nobody could hold him but me. My other two would go to just about anybody and be fine with it. My oldest didn't take well to ANY change in schedule. Also vacations were taboo to him. We would go somewhere and he would be fine during the day, but as soon as it started getting dark, he wanted to leave and would have a FIT, he wanted to be at home to sleep and we could "come back in the morning!" Yeah right! So when we were on vacation, I would end up driving him around in the van, saying that we were going home, until he fell asleep. My younger two will go anywhere and sleep on a rock if you asked them too. I have one that is very athletic and one that totally hates sports and another that loves it but isn't so great at it.
1 person likes this
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Wow, It is amazing how different they can be. My youngest is similar to your oldest in that changes to his schedule are difficult for him. It seemed with my oldest, we could do whatever we wanted and it didn't really make a difference to him, but with my youngest, if he eats at the wrong time, or his nap is cut short, it takes days for him to recover from it. Thanks for your response!
30 Jan 07
I have certainly noticed that with my children. My eldest is loud, confident and very bright whereas my younger one is my more shy and is 'average' rather than bright. They react to situations very differently as well. I wonder if my younger daughter is more shy because I am looking after her whereas my elder one was with her grandparents while I was at work.
1 person likes this
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
31 Jan 07
Yes, that's always a possibility as well. My two boys have had pretty much very similar experiences, so I know in thier cases, it's just thier personalities, but in your children it could be because you were/weren't home all the time. Thanks for the response.