Provides information on the following for parents and care-givers of gifted children: (1) recognizing giftedness; (2) dealing with nongifted children in the family; (3) effect of chronic early ear infection on IQ; (4) introversion; (5) "normalizing" gifted children; (6) need for gifted peers; and (7) responsive parenting. A list of guidelines for…

Reports studies of children's interactions at home with younger siblings and/or best friends. Finds gender and group composition differences in the play activities selected, amount of positive and negative interaction, and assumption of the roles of teacher/learner, manager/manager and playmate. (CB)

Literature on the relationship between sibling structure and academic abilities and achievement since 1978 is reviewed. As the findings generally refute the confluence model of the influence of sibling structure, alternative interpretations are presented with implications for further research. (Author/BS)

The success of the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) in addressing the academic plight of Hawaiian children by utilizing natal cultural data for curriculum design and development in the education of Hawaiian children is examined. Rationale and approaches for balancing the home culture and the school agenda are outlined. (BS)

This paper describes a case study which sought to determine the motivational factors that prompted a set of triplets to excel in school. The working research questions dealt with different facets of school and home, and explored whether motivation was linked to certain subjects or certain topics within various subjects or was a function of the…

This issue of a research journal on gifted education examines a number of research projects that delve into questions of how family life affects intelligence, especially among gifted children. Specific articles include: (1) "Are We Raising Smarter Children Today?" (Wendy M. Williams), which discusses the effects of school-related factors…

The importance of intelligence quotient (IQ) to income is analyzed using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, a study that began in 1979 with 12,686 subjects. Data for this study go through the 1994 interview wave, so that the most recent income data is for 1993. Statistical techniques are used to separate the influence of IQ from…

Results are interpreted in terms of role theory and sibling rivalry, and have application for school practice. (Author)

In a longitudinal study of sibling interaction, same-sex and mixed-sex pairs of siblings were observed twice in their homes. Interaction patterns remained stable over the 18 months separating the two observations. Older children initiated prosocial and combative behavior more often than younger children and submitted less often to dominant…

For the 326 college freshmen studied, neither birth order nor sibling gender was found to relate significantly to first-quarter college grade point average (GPA). Female subjects earned significantly higher GPAs than males. Results supplied little support for the commonly assumed achievement superiority of first-born children. (Author/SJL)

Utilizing a role theory framework, the connection is made between the role behavior of an older sibling toward younger sibs and that of the older sibling as a parent toward future offspring. Factors leading to the assumption of the "parent-surrogate" role are examined as is the role enactment itself. (Author)

Notes both teacher's and parents' concerns over placing twin boys in the same early childhood classroom. Offers suggestions for teachers and parents to foster each child's independence and character traits without the trauma of placing them in separate environments. (HTH)

A study of 405 Irish children (ages 2-18) with Down syndrome, autism, and cri du chat syndrome, and 280 siblings found most had some level of self-feeding skills. Chewing problems were reported for some children, including siblings of children with Down syndrome and autism. Behavioral problems at meals were common. (Contains references.)…

Explores mothers' and fathers' differential treatment (PDT) of their adolescent offspring and examines how siblings' personal qualities were associated with PDT. Sex was associated with parents' differential temporal involvement. Sex-typed personal qualities were related to parents' differential discipline. Both sex and sex-typed personal…