Intelligence............ My stepmother and mother both had 6 children,?

Question

We all grew up in similar situations..( well, my step-family had my father growing up) he was very strict with them... 5 of my step-mothers kids are very successful ie: 2 Attorney's 1 Retired Military, 1 Teacher and 1 computer smarty pants My mother's kids, addicts, alcoholics, and 'ner do wells.... Could this have been a genetic thing that my step-mother had intelligent kids? or could have been they were "pushed", encouraged more.... I'm at a lost? opinions pls.
p.s. My step-mother and father were no (apparant) college educated scholors, just working class like my mother.

Answer 1

There is no rhyme or reason to why one family turns out well while another one struggles. I've compared myself and my sister to our cousins.My mother and our aunt were raised side by side. My sister and I have always been hard working, goal achieving, good mothers with stable lives. Our cousins have struggled their entire lives with divorce, child custody battles, drug addiction and have been on and off of public assistance. Our parents were as different as night and day. Their father was a hard working man and my aunt was a strict stay at home mother who took them to church any time the doors were open. My parents were hard working but not nearly as strict and were scorned by the community for being bar owners. My father was an alcoholic but a good man who's always had the ability to catch others in need and be helpful. My mother is the most beautiful soul I've ever known. My aunt was on my parents case for raising "heathens" most of our childhood. My parents are so proud of me and my sister and while they don't boast, they always let us know. I don't know if it was the difference in our mothers approach (our mother was always very loving, my aunt was always very cold) or the fact that we saw our father struggle with addiction (it made us realize we didn't want that for ourselves) but there had to be a huge difference for all of us to end up in totally different places in life. I don't think that we're any more intelligent than our cousins. I think they just lacked direction. I don't know, if you figure this out....let me know! Good luck :)

Answer 2

I think that parents have assumptions about what their kids can do and accomplish. These things may not be directly said, but sometimes in subtle ways the kids get the message. The combination of your father with your mother, and then with your step-mother could give different messages to the kids. I also believe there can be other influences besides the parents. You would have to look at where each family lives, what sort of neighborhood, how were the schools, etc.

Answer 3

direct intervention I would say played a major part in the development of the successful siblings. Lack of supervision and possible neglect on the other part would seem to fit unless you have information to the contrary

Answer 4

I would have to have more information on each household to determine a proper diagnosis.
Many factors play into someone's background