Three's Company At Great Neck

Pat Fedor has been a principal in Waterford for 15 years. But this year is unlike any other.

“We have triplets,” the Great Neck School principal said. “It is the first time for me as a principal.”

Fourth-graders Paige, Madison and Sydney Martin moved from private school to Great Neck this year. And for the first time in their lives, they are all in separate classes.

“It’s good,” Sydney Martin said. “Sometimes it was nice because if somebody said something to one of us or tries to bully us, we had the other two to back us up. But now we have our own friends and we are meeting new people.”

The Benefits Of Three

All three girls said they are happy to be triplets. And even on the one day of the year where the trio might want their own attention, their parents satisfy all three.

“Mom makes three cakes (for our birthday),” Madison said. “And we’ll get things we like on our cake. Like I get a lady bug, (Sydney) will get a book and (Paige) will get a guitar.”

The three share homework, sleep together after a horror movie and stand up for each other against bullies and occasionally their older sister. And while they occasionally fight amongst themselves, the three said they are never lonely.

“It's fun because if you don’t have someone to play with you just play with one of these guys,” Paige Martin said. “So you always have someone to play with.”

As for the bathroom, Madison is the early riser, then Sydney, and then Paige, who admits that she “isn’t much of a morning person.” The only real complaint they had about each other was Sydney’s snoring.

“I can hear her from the other room sometimes,” said Madison, laughing.

Why Separate?

Fedor said she purposely separated the triplets, and generally separates twins, because children “need to keep their individuality a little bit.” If twins share the same class and go home together, it can be too much, she said.