Comments on: Book Review: Where twin is a four letter word

By: Stacy

Stacy — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 01:41:54 +0000

I have to say – I would violently disagree with that as well. While we raise our children as individuals (they are in separate classes and have different friends) – they also have an extremely uniqure relationship and they are very proud of being a twin. They have always finished each other’s sentences, and while they fight like cats and dogs – they also protect each other, too.

I agree – it sounds like the author may have issues herself!

By: Grandmother

Grandmother — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:35:53 +0000

Hmmm…I onder what she would have to say about Dusty and HOney, 70 year old sisters (not twins) who live together, dress alike and do nearly everything together? I heard their story on This AMerican Life, “Matching Outfits Not Included, check it out it’s worthwhile.

By: twinshere

twinshere — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:14:48 +0000

Hi…
I have come to the conclusion that there are twins and then there are TWINS (ie identicals). I don’t have identicals either but I have to suspect that it would be a very different experience to raising fraternal twins. I don’t have to ponder on the issue of treating my girls differently, they are already different. We responded to them differently from the moment we first held them, it is impossible not to. To my mind are really better thought of as “same age siblings”. All of the hardwork comes about because there are two of them at the same stage of development and they have a more “intense” sibling relationship but it is not to do with being alike any more than it would be for regular siblings. With boy girl twins your concerns may be focused on implications for them arising from the very fact that they are not alike.

I tend to think twin specific parenting books really ought to be further classified according to the types of twins being cared for – identical, same sex fraternal, opposite sex fraternal. I would also suspect that male identicals and female identicals experience different issues as they mature.

As for the special bond- I am all about encouraging as strong a bond as is possible between all of my children- it’s about the Sistas. Twinship or closely spaced siblings-there is no guarantee of love between siblings, it has much more to do with everything else and little to do with birthdates.

By: Julie

Julie — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:49:43 +0000

Not having twins, I can’t comment on some of this, but the father thing really was bad. These days, lots of guys are more aware of needing to take more of a role in helping with their kids. My husband is great with my kids and doesn’t need any prodding or prompting to do stuff. That’s just insulting to many men I know who are great fathers.

By: MamáChanga

MamáChanga — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:29:47 +0000

Yep, sounds like that author may have some twin issues herself. Although Da’Gorgouses are alike in some ways, they sure let us know how they are very different and unique. As for the father thing, DrillSgt fell into his role very well, no need for an overwhelmed mother to prod him any (as a matter of fact, he sometimes does a much better job at this parenting thing than I do).