When I was in elementary school I passed time playing club soccer, Fortnite, and birthday parties. With just a six-year age difference, my fifth-grade brother does all these things all while scrolling for hours on his iPad.
Siblings with wide age gaps may be raised in the same house by the same parents, yet may not have the same experiences due to how the world changes rapidly.
Junior Max Greenberg is the second oldest of four boys in his family. Max’s older brother Wes is a senior and his two younger brothers, Charley and Brooks, are a freshman and a seventh grader. “I am four years older than Brooks. He currently goes to Cabin John and I also went there. It was a very nice school and I enjoyed my time there,” Max Greenberg said.
Regardless of their four-year age difference, Max and Brooks Greenberg shared a strong interest in sports when they were both in middle school. However, their interests weren’t identical. Max played baseball when he was Brooks’ age and Brooks plays soccer as well as lacrosse. Their age differences as well as their relationships with their brothers have had an impact on the sports they picked. “I picked that path because my older brother played it, while he picked lacrosse because his older brothers play it now,” Max said.
Four years ago, Max spent time with friends who shared the same athletic interests as him. “I would describe his friend group as similar to mine at that age because both [of our] groups enjoyed sports and hanging out,” Max said.
Freshman Alexa Krauthamer is the oldest of her two sisters, Talia and Leila. Alexa shares a six-year age gap with her youngest sister Talia, who is in fourth grade at Cold Spring Elementary School.
Similar to the Greenberg family, Alexa and Talia both played sports when they were the same age. “She is currently a gymnast and when I was nine years old I played soccer, basketball, and I swam competitively. She chose the path of gymnastics because our dad was a gymnast too and she fell in love with the sport when she was very young,” Alexa said.
Despite their six-year age gap, both sisters find enjoyment in similar video games. “My sister and I both love to play games on our phones like Tetris and other puzzles. We sometimes play video games together like Fortnite or Just Dance. We both just happen to find interest in these things,” Alexa said.
Six years ago Alexa’s dreams for her future were similar to what Talia currently dreams for her future. “When I was her age I wanted to be a doctor or scientist and she has taken on a similar interest in studying science, and even more specifically she wants to ‘study the future’ although I’m not sure what that may mean,” Alexa said.
Junior Maddy Mathew has an eight-year age gap with her younger brother Mayson. He currently goes to DuFief Elementary School. “I didn’t go there because we moved a lot [and] I wasn’t in Maryland at the time,” Maddy said.
Although both siblings play sports, Maddy chose to play more intensive sports while Mayson took a slightly different route. “My brother [plays] baseball and tennis. When I was his age I [played] soccer, dance, swim, and gymnastics. I did a lot of high-energy sports when [I was] younger because I liked being busy and active. My brother chose those sports because he is a bit more laid back and chill, so playing those sports isn’t too intense for him,” Maddy said.
When Maddy was younger she aspired to be the US president one day. “Mayson wants to be a paleontologist,” Maddy said.
