About.com Twins & Multiples

Forum Friday: Traveling with Twins

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:35:24 +0000

A guest writes: "I have 5 month old twin boys and would like to visit family out of town. I would love advice from someone who has flown with twins. This would be a trip I'm making solo so I need to figure if it's manageable before attempting it. Does anyone know how airlines handle seating and such in this situation?"

With the holidays around the corner, many families with multiples are considering travel. While it's not easy, it can be done, especially with some careful planning and preparation. Please stop by the message forum and share your advice about traveling with twins. How do you negotiate airports and airplanes? Any tips or tricks that make travel easier?

More Resources:
��Get answers to frequently asked questions about traveling with twins.
��Discuss traveling with twins in the message forum.

Forum Friday: Traveling with Twins originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 08:35:24.

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Twins of the Week: Julius and Julian

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:32:48 +0000

Photo reprinted with permission of JuliusJulian.

Meet this week's twins! Brothers Julius and Julian seem to be best buds, at least for the moment. The boys were three years old in this picture.
� Share your thoughts, opinions and advice in the comments section.
� More Worldless Wednesday Posts on About.com.
� Three-Year-Old Twins Photo Gallery
� Index of All Photo Galleries

Twins of the Week: Julius and Julian originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 01:32:48.

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What Will You Do With All that Halloween Candy?

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:50:49 +0000

One fun thing about having twins or multiples at Halloween ... double the candy! But while collecting the treats is fun, dealing with the sugary aftermath can be tricky. It's just too tempting -- especially for kids -- to eat the sweet stuff at a stomach-churning pace. Parents have to give some thought to how they'll manage the candy madness, and perhaps even plan some alternatives in advance.

So, how do you handle the Halloween candy? Leave a comment and share your strategies.

In the meantime, submit your photos from Halloween 2009. Were your twins a gruesome twosome? Or a darling duo? Did they wear the same costumes, sport a coordinated theme, or take a completely unique approach? Please follow the guidelines on the submission form when sending your pictures, being sure to include all the required information and the release statement. I look forward to receiving them and including them in the Halloween Photo Gallery. Don't forget to share your candy control strategies! Leave a comment and vote in the poll.

What Will You Do With All that Halloween Candy? originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 09:50:49.

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Forum Friday: Twin Sleds

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:43:54 +0000

kerriinidaho is looking for a twin sled so that she can get outside and enjoy the winter weather with her 14-month-old twin sons. She writes: "I'm looking to purchase an infant sled for twins. My guys are 14-mos old and we'd love to get outside for some winter activity. I'm not looking for a tobaggon, because I'd like to pull them for distances without them falling off or konking heads. I've been looking online without success - I find makers but no distributors - and nothing on ebay. Anyone find one recently that could be bought and shipped?"

Stop by the message forum to find out what she discovered. It would make a great holiday gift for twins!

Forum Friday: Twin Sleds originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 01:43:54.

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Too Old to Trick or Treat

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:28:36 +0000

In my city, Halloween trick-or-treating is limited to kids twelve and younger. Really, it's a city code. I checked it out after my twins protested when I denied their Halloween plans to trick or treat with friends. Sec. 23-3. Prohibited trick or treat activities.: If any person over the age of twelve (12) years shall engage in the activity commonly known as "trick or treat" or any other activity of similar character or nature under any name whatsoever, he shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

Whether I agree with that age limit or not, it is the law in our city, so we're going to abide by it. Everyone, eventually, has to give up trick or treating. It can be a bittersweet moment, another sign of kids growing up. So, what do you do when your twins or multiples are too old to trick or treat?

One of the benefits of being a multiple is that you're not alone. Misery loves company. Encourage them to make plans with their also-too-old peers. Plan a Halloween party as a fun alternative. Or, find ways for them to enjoy the other side of trick or treating. Maybe they'd enjoy being the one to distribute candy. They can accompany younger siblings, neighbors or friends on their trick or treat rounds. Or, put ambitious multiples to work designing and decorating a spooky scene to greet neighborhood trick or treaters. Rent an age-appropriate scary movie. About.com's Guide to Tweens provides this list of Family Friendly Halloween Movies.

All good things do come to an end, including the fun of Halloween trick or treating. But it can still be a enjoyable holiday for older twins and multiples. With a little bit of planning -- and an extra stash of candy set aside for them -- the transition will be less "tricky."

Too Old to Trick or Treat originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 12:28:36.

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Twins of the Week: Phenelope and Precious

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:38:49 +0000

Photo reprinted with permission of Princess.

Phenelope and Precious are pretty in pink. Love the personalized stroller! The girls were one year old when this picture was taken
� Share your thoughts, opinions and advice in the comments section.
� More Worldless Wednesday Posts on About.com.
� More pictures of identical twin girls: Identical Twin Girls Photo Gallery
� Index of All Photo Galleries

Twins of the Week: Phenelope and Precious originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 11:38:49.

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What do you drive?

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:12:34 +0000

Multiples=minivan, right? Once you have twins or more, you've got to trade in that sporty sedan for a mom-mobile. Well, not exactly. There are lots of auto options for families with multiples. As long as your vehicle can accommodate car seats, you can make it work. When my twins were babies, we did just fine with a four-door Toyota Camry. I held out until they were four, then finally relented and parked a Nissan Quest in my driveway. I loved the family-friendly features of my minivan, but I also didn't hesitate to trade it in for a small SUV once our carseat days were over. With tweens and teens, the most important feature is a third back seat, ensuring that there's plenty of room for extra friends and all their gear. My Acura MDX has plenty of room for them, and luxury features that make my life easier, a GPS system and rear-view camera.

Take the poll to show your car character and then leave a comment to explain your choice.

What do you drive? originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 11:12:34.

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Are Girl Twins Stronger Than Boy Twins?

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:48:56 +0000

I once interviewed a neonatologist at a local children's hospital about his work caring for twins in the NICU. He mentioned that girl twins are often ready to be discharged before their twin brothers, and that overall, female babies seemed to fare better than males. His unscientific observation seems to coincide with a recent study that concluded that outcomes for twin pregnancy are enhanced when at least one of the babies is a girl.

The study reviewed more than 2,500 twin pregnancies, including boy-girl, girl-girl, and boy-boy twin sets. It found that complications such as preterm delivery, respiratory problems, and lower birth weights were more common in pregnancies with boys. Girl twinsets fared the best, followed by boy-girl twins. All boy twins had higher rates of preterm birth, more respiratory and neurological issues, and lower-than-average birth weights.

What do you think? Is this study an indication of female superiority? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

� Read more: Twin Girls Do Better Than Twin Boys

Are Girl Twins Stronger Than Boy Twins? originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 14:48:56.

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Twins of the Week: Eli and Savannah

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:16:31 +0000

Photo reprinted with permission of Milli.

Meet this week's twins! Eli and Savannah are all set to celebrate Halloween as a Princess and a Frog Prince.
� Share your thoughts, opinions and advice in the comments section.
� More Worldless Wednesday Posts on About.com.
� Halloween Photo Gallery
� Index of All Photo Galleries

Twins of the Week: Eli and Savannah originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 14:16:31.

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Parent's Poll: Halloween Costumes

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:23:15 +0000

Halloween is around the corner, and everyone's coming up with costume ideas! For my twins' first Halloween, they shared the same costume, but they've worn different outfits ever since. Sometimes, they have worn costumes that are variations on a theme, such as the year they were three years old and wore blue and yellow versions of Disney's Princess Jasmine's belly-baring outfit. Usually, however, they choose completely different costumes.

Parents' Poll: How will your mutliples dress for Halloween?

Absolutely alike: they'll wear identical costumes.
Sort of the same: they'll wear coordinating or similarly-themed costumes.
Completely different: they'll wear unrelated costumes.
View Results | Share your costume ideas.

Need costume ideas?
� Halloween Photo Gallery.
� Halloween Costumes for Twins or Multiples
� Top Ten Halloween Costumes for Twins

Parent's Poll: Halloween Costumes originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Monday, October 19th, 2009 at 01:23:15.
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