SENDING children off to preschool is a nerve-racking experience for most parents, but Victoria Point mother Kasey Saunders will need double the courage to face the beginning of the 2019 school year.
Ms Saunders will be sending her twins Leevi and Keaoh off to Victoria Point State School for the first time on January 29.
“One’s quite excited but the other is nervous,” Ms Saunders said.
“I’m absolutely terrified.”
Australian Multiple Birth Association chairperson Ashlee Tenberge said the Saunders twins were among thousands of multiples starting school this year.
“With approximately 4,500 multiple births in Australia each year, there will be a minimum of 9,000 twins, triplets or more starting school in 2019,” Ms Tenberge said.
Ms Tenberge said the AMBA advocated for schools to be treat multiples as individuals while also fostering the unique bond that twins, triplets or more had with each other.
Class placement was one of the biggest dilemmas faced by parents of multiples, she added.
“The research indicates that the parents are the ones best placed to determine what will suit the individual needs of their children,” she said.
Keaoh and Leevi would start off in the same class, Ms Saunders said.
“I asked the school that they be in the same class this year to see how they go,” she said.
“They are so close and I think they wouldn’t cope the first year without each other.”
Ms Tenberge added that starting school was an exciting time for children, but having two or more children start at the same time could be overwhelming for families.
“There is double or triple the joy, tears and adventures as well as the additional financial challenges,” she said.
Having to purchase multiple sets of uniforms and supplies or paying for big ticket items like laptops or camps all at one time could be difficult for parents, Ms Tenberge said.
“It’s very expensive when you’ve got to double all the costs,” Ms Saunders said.
“Luckily we’ve had support from family and friends.”