I have 3 children within 3.5 years of age. They are inseparable and enjoy each other a lot.
I also have 3 children who are close together in age (4.5 years in our family). Our oldest is EG, middle MG-not-technically-G at all, youngest HG+/uber-achiever. All very different kids - not just with respect to IQ and academics. I agree with much of what Grinity said. Plus I'll add - the difference is there and although with my kids the question has come up from time to time re why does ds get to participate is program X (which one or both of my other kids won't qualify for due to IQ) but that's pretty much it - just a question, we answer that to qualify you have to have a certain test score and ds has it. If you asked any of them, they'd tell you ds is super-smart (and smarter than them) - not because we've ever told them or talked about it and not because of the programs he's eligible to join or the courses he is taking in school. They will tell you that because they live with him and experience his knowledge on a daily basis (he shares lol). They're used to him knowing the answers to everything. They may not have as high of an IQ, but they (and their friends and his friends and most adults) know just by listening to him that he's an incredibly intelligent kid. Sometimes it causes a little bit of sibling angst - not jealously as much as annoyance that he is always so quick to answer for everybody else or just because he always seems to know everything. The fact that he participates in some things that his IQ got him into doesn't phase them anymore than the fact that my youngest dd is much better at gymnastics than her siblings and can participate in special gymnastics groups because of it. They are all three individuals who honestly, at their ages, are much more all about themselves than worried about what the others are a part of. OTOH, they are incredibly aware of who gets the most treats when it comes to food (and keeping that fair) and who gets to stay up past their bedtime and/or who's had the most time with mom or dad lately.
Best wishes,
polarbear
