Triplets colored the same rainbow in unique ways and it shows why siblings shouldn't be compared

Siblings are often considered carbon copies of each other, especially when they are twins, triplets or so on. People expect that since they were born to the same parents and grow up under similar circumstances, their brains and behaviors will be alike. However, three toddlers have proved this perception to be false simply through the way they colored the same picture. Genevieve "Genna" Knox told TODAY that her daughters Kaylee, Cecilia and Lily each have their own unique ways to do things. 

Knox shows their different characteristics in a TikTok video that has been viewed over 15 million times by demonstrating how each girl approached a color-by-numbers rainbow. The video is titled, "Why they say NOT to compare your TRIPLETS." Cecilia comes in first in the video.

Knox, a fifth-grade teacher in San Diego, feels her rainbow is incomplete and "looks a little rushed." Lily is up next, who did not adhere to the prescribed color schemes but certainly put effort into her work. Kaylee is the creator of the final coloring page. Unlike her siblings, she colored in the lines and selected the appropriate color for each area of the rainbow.

Know explained, "I have a feeling Cecilia wanted to be running around and doing different things—probably playing dress-up. She's a little performer." Knox characterizes Lily as "rambunctious," adding that after she tackles you to the floor, she will give you the sweetest cuddles. Meanwhile, Kaylee calls "herself an artist" and "loves coloring and will sit there very focused." Unlike her sisters, she can happily do crafts for hours. 

Knox recalls clearly accompanying her triplets to their first doctor's appointment. "The pediatrician looked at me and said, ‘Don’t compare them,'" she shared, adding that it was the best advice she has ever gotten. However, it is easier said than done, according to parenting and youth development expert Dr. Deborah Gilboa, as it is impossible for parents to not compare their children. She said, "What you want to caution yourself from doing is jumping to conclusions. Comparisons aren’t the problem—it’s the conclusions we draw from them."

Gilboa used Kaylee's perfectly colored rainbow as an example. She said, "I wouldn’t want her mom to say 'this kid is going to be a genius in art and the other two are lazy.'" Gilboa also recommends against making comparisons in front of younger children, even if it's only a passing comment such as: "You painted a cat, and you painted a dog."

"Depending on the moment and the developmental stage and the child, they may hear 'you like that better painting better, you like them better,'" she explained. "That’s why it is safer to not speak about comparisons out loud."

TikTok users absolutely loved the differences between these 3-year-old triplets with one commenting, "First one is Bubbles, second is Buttercup, third is Blossom." Another noted, "Different talents, personalities, approaches, and perspectives. This is beautiful!" A third user commented, "Best lesson for EVERY parent, so glad you see it now, each child has their own unique strengths."