Recently, I commented about a pair of 21-year-old identical twin female tennis players qualifying for the first time at Wimbledon. Sadly, the twin who advanced to the next round could not fully celebrate the biggest win of her career because her twin sister had lost her match. If you are not a twin, you may find it hard to understand why the victorious twin had to downplay and deflect her success. Let me share Jeffrey Kluger’s definition of altruism from […]
Tag Archives: twin
The Aha Moment
When I go to social events and talk about my professional obsession with twins, an aha moment inevitably accompanies my explanation about my work and research: “Wow, I never thought about that. That is so interesting.” It seems that most people know a twin, know someone who has twins, or went to school with a twin. For me, the moment is gratifying and surprising at the same time. It is validating because it underscores the ongoing societal perception of idealized […]
Transitions
One mom at the New Zealand Multiple Birth Association conference shared how she has come to understand the importance of transitions when it comes to parenting. Her teenage twin boys have developed into very distinct persons. She is now cognizant about how each one might use the twinship—often as a crutch or as leverage to get what the other one has. These boys are in separate classes and have some separate relationships with other friends. This mom astutely sees that […]
Being Appreciated for Being Me
Every year when I read about the Twinsburg Twins Days Festival or see photographs of grown-up twins who are dressed identically and unabashedly clowning around with their clone, I feel a visceral trigger of old feelings about growing up as a twin freak. Jane and I were always the source of endless curiosity, and I hated (and still hate) being the center of attention without a feeling of substance or worth. Unfortunately, I have never really experienced the joys of […]
Sleep Expectations and Sleep Training Techniques
I’m sometimes consulted when both parents are exhausted and irritable. Consulting The No-Cry Sleep Solution, by Elizabeth Pantley, and Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Twins, by Dr. Marc Weissbluth offers some good suggestions. Both authors write extensively about the biological importance of sleep. Pantley explains that a baby’s biological clock begins maturing at 6-9 weeks and does not work smoothly until 4-5 months. Dr. Weissbluth asserts that when infants are 12-16 weeks, daytime sleep starts to regularize and bedtime is earlier. […]