Nicole commented about it being unfair Keegan should be able to drop his nap at a younger age than his big sister Keianna.

Controversy isn't one of the big goals of this blog, and usually I'd just let such a comment slide, but this one intrigued me, and prompts an interesting discussion.    I don't know you, Nicole, so I'm not sure whether you have children of your own, or how you might handle children with different needs who are close in age, but I'll share some thoughts behind why we did things this way: 

I’ll admit I’d have much preferred Keegan require the same amount of sleep the girls have at his age, but he’s always needed less. It wouldn’t have been "fair" to have forced Keianna to drop her nap months ago (when she really needed it) just so that she could be first. Neither would it have been "fair" to continue to expect a little guy who wasn’t tired to lie in bed every day for several extra hours when his body didn’t need sleep, just because he’s younger than the sister who does need a nap. As it is, I had Keianna drop hers a bit earlier (and pushed Keegan later) than I would have otherwise done, simply because I didn’t want Keegan dropping his before ‘Anna.

Every child is a little different. Sleep isn’t something we have the children do as penance, or that we require because of their age.  We sleep to get the rest our bodies need! There are days (rare) that I’ll suggest my seven year old Kaira take a nap (or sometimes she suggests it herself). I don’t require all the younger ones nap just because Kaira is a bit run-down.

Likewise, it would be unreasonable to have weighed the food that Kendra ate at age three, and insist that Keianna eat exactly the same proportions.  While all the children are healthy and eat well, they have different metabolisms and different builds. Keianna would have a perpetual stomachache if we required she eat the amount Kendra did at her age.

True justice and fairness isn’t always exact equality in the minor details. (In fact often forcing them into cookie-cutter molds is the most unfair thing we could do!) Our desire is to do what is best and right for each child’s unique needs within the family context.

Children who know that they are all loved equally will rejoice in another’s privilege (and Keianna is more excited about Keegan doing quiet play than Keegan is.)

I try not to view my children as ages but as individuals. (Which is reason number 126 that we homeschool.)

(And just because we Prairiefrogs do it one way, doesn’t mean that’s the only way. Families don’t fit into formula’s any more than do children within a family.)