If that is true, and elements in the same period have similar properties because they have the same number of valence electrons, then why is SiO2 a solid and CO2 a gas? Surely a difference in mass by a factor of 2.5 can't be that big a deal.
Is it because of a van der Waals force difference, because silicon has extra electrons which result in compounds being formed from it being more symmetrical than those formed from carbon?