New Problem

I know one mom of ID girls who allowed one girl to colour her hair
blue and the other one pink for a summer--no way they got mixed up then.

Unfortunately it's VERY easy to mix up the *names*, even when you know quite
well who is who. This happens to any siblings. I have three sisters and very
frequently got called by the wrong name. I imagine with names like Morgan and
Megan it is even easier to forget which is which. I know when I was in high
school there was a pair of ID twins whom I could tell apart very easily (one of
them was slender and one was downright skinny), but I never could remember
*which* was called Cathy and which was Mary.

--Helen

I know one mom of ID girls who allowed one girl to colour her hair
blue and the other one pink for a summer--no way they got mixed up then.

Unfortunately it's VERY easy to mix up the *names*, even when you know quite
well who is who. This happens to any siblings. I have three sisters and very
frequently got called by the wrong name. I imagine with names like Morgan and
Megan it is even easier to forget which is which. I know when I was in high
school there was a pair of ID twins whom I could tell apart very easily (one of
them was slender and one was downright skinny), but I never could remember
*which* was called Cathy and which was Mary.

--Helen

I know one mom of ID girls who allowed one girl to colour her hair
blue and the other one pink for a summer--no way they got mixed up then.

Unfortunately it's VERY easy to mix up the *names*, even when you know quite
well who is who. This happens to any siblings. I have three sisters and very
frequently got called by the wrong name. I imagine with names like Morgan and
Megan it is even easier to forget which is which. I know when I was in high
school there was a pair of ID twins whom I could tell apart very easily (one of
them was slender and one was downright skinny), but I never could remember
*which* was called Cathy and which was Mary.

--Helen

Marie wrote:
snip
I sometimes worry, as I watch how people treat my guys,
that they are being taught that they are a twin first and a person second.
Even though they aren't ID, I wonder how much of my future time is going to
be spent having to help them discover what is special about *them* as
people, and how very little of that has to do with an accident of birth.


You are very wise.

Cindy Wells


Good luck.

Marie
Chris and Alex--born 04/23/03 at 31wks gestational :-)

Marie wrote:
snip
I sometimes worry, as I watch how people treat my guys,
that they are being taught that they are a twin first and a person second.
Even though they aren't ID, I wonder how much of my future time is going to
be spent having to help them discover what is special about *them* as
people, and how very little of that has to do with an accident of birth.


You are very wise.

Cindy Wells


Good luck.

Marie
Chris and Alex--born 04/23/03 at 31wks gestational :-)

Marie wrote:
snip
I sometimes worry, as I watch how people treat my guys,
that they are being taught that they are a twin first and a person second.
Even though they aren't ID, I wonder how much of my future time is going to
be spent having to help them discover what is special about *them* as
people, and how very little of that has to do with an accident of birth.


You are very wise.

Cindy Wells


Good luck.

Marie
Chris and Alex--born 04/23/03 at 31wks gestational :-)

It's time to stress their individuality. I'm sorry, but "you're
special because you are a twin" is the type of response that sets my
nerves on edge. I sympathize with Morgan's opinion of being called
the wrong name. (Refusing to respond was my preferred solution - as
a pre-schooler.)

I think you should discuss the problem with the school staff; at least
some at the school seem pretty insensitive to the details of dealing
with two children from one family in the same grade. You need to ensure
a better response from the staff for next year.

I was fortunate. The only time I had that much trouble with a school
staff member, it was a substitute. "Weren't you in this class this
morning?" Roll eyes and respond "No, that was my sister." I was in
high school and perfectly willing to inform confused elders of
their mistakes.

Cindy Wells
(Mom's phrase "your my very best (individual name) girl" worked well
when we were little and she continued to use it until we were old
enough to go "mom you're being silly". Actually, she still uses the
phrase but acknowledges that it is silly.)

It's time to stress their individuality. I'm sorry, but "you're
special because you are a twin" is the type of response that sets my
nerves on edge. I sympathize with Morgan's opinion of being called
the wrong name. (Refusing to respond was my preferred solution - as
a pre-schooler.)

I think you should discuss the problem with the school staff; at least
some at the school seem pretty insensitive to the details of dealing
with two children from one family in the same grade. You need to ensure
a better response from the staff for next year.

I was fortunate. The only time I had that much trouble with a school
staff member, it was a substitute. "Weren't you in this class this
morning?" Roll eyes and respond "No, that was my sister." I was in
high school and perfectly willing to inform confused elders of
their mistakes.

Cindy Wells
(Mom's phrase "your my very best (individual name) girl" worked well
when we were little and she continued to use it until we were old
enough to go "mom you're being silly". Actually, she still uses the
phrase but acknowledges that it is silly.)

It's time to stress their individuality. I'm sorry, but "you're
special because you are a twin" is the type of response that sets my
nerves on edge. I sympathize with Morgan's opinion of being called
the wrong name. (Refusing to respond was my preferred solution - as
a pre-schooler.)

I think you should discuss the problem with the school staff; at least
some at the school seem pretty insensitive to the details of dealing
with two children from one family in the same grade. You need to ensure
a better response from the staff for next year.

I was fortunate. The only time I had that much trouble with a school
staff member, it was a substitute. "Weren't you in this class this
morning?" Roll eyes and respond "No, that was my sister." I was in
high school and perfectly willing to inform confused elders of
their mistakes.

Cindy Wells
(Mom's phrase "your my very best (individual name) girl" worked well
when we were little and she continued to use it until we were old
enough to go "mom you're being silly". Actually, she still uses the
phrase but acknowledges that it is silly.)

Erin,

I just skimmed the topics and am glad I picked your post as the only one I have
time for tonight...wow. Your situation really tugged at the ol' heart strings.
Unfortunately, I cannot offer any advice on this one. I'm a singleton and my
girls are still really young and fraternal. But, I at least wanted to offer
some huge (((Erin))). I'm really sorry. I can only imagine how that whole
thing made you feel worrying about your baby. I hope some of the more
experienced parents have some great words of wisdom.

You know, our sitters are 19yo twins. They're home from college and will be
here tomorrow. I'll run this by them. They look exactly alike and grew up in
a small town where they were in all the college prep. courses together (one was
valedictorian while the other salutatorian), same sports teams, same circle of
friends, etc. I still see concerns. They now go to 2 different colleges and
it has really allowed them to embrace having eachother on a "choice" level vs.
being thrust together. ???

Still sorry,
Missy in Indiana http://hometown.aol.com/mhrust/overviewforng.html
Morgan Olivia & Julia Lucille 4/28/01 (YAY!)