<p>My kids would not care. They truly have not shown any resentment or jealousies when any one of them got goodies, but were happy about it. And it had nothing to do with anything we did; they just seem to be wired that way. They want to contribute to the youngest’s college so that he can go anywhere he wants to go without a price constraint. But this is in our family. Our kids were just so different that they did not feel they should get equality and did not compete with each other at all. </p>
<p>It is not unusual in families for members to want to contribute or help one who might have a special talent or opportunity that is out of the ordinary. My son’s good friend was accepted to Harvard, and his siblings and other family members did help contribute as he did not get financial aid but due to the family situation (a non contributing NCP) was not able to meet the cost on his mother and step dad’s income/assets. No one wanted him to have to turn down that opportunity. I doubt the same energy would have gone into helping him pay for college if the school were not Harvard. Where the line would be drawn, I don’t know. But, I see nothing unusual in GPs wanting to help pay for a very good student but figuring the other kids are going to be fine at state schools or ccs if they are not the academic super star that the one sibling is. </p>
<p>The same goes for talents in other areas. I know a family who was quite strapped financially, but they somehow managed to scrape up the funds to see their son play at football games at college. (He was a starter on a name team) They were not as conscientious about going to their other kids college things, and I suspect they did not get as much family or friend support in those ventures as well. People are willing to dig a little deeper or even a lot deeper into their bank accounts for something that is what they consider special.</p>