Having twins is a double blessing. Two adorable faces, two humans you manufactured to perfection, twice the love, but it could also mean double trouble. You have twice the number of feeding sessions, nappy changes and all. In short, two bosses to obey. As parents of twins, you're running around would have doubled, and as you are on the threshold of a new year. Here are 11 resolutions that will have you winning the 'twinning' game.
1. Clear out space/clutter.
Children grow up in a flash. Not kidding. All the new, carefully picked out clothes and shoes for your twins will be outgrown in no time, old toys will be detested, and you'll begin to feel like a hoarder. So, before the floor of your house and the wardrobes disappear under piles of kiddy stuff, clear out space. Else, you'll end up accumulating new stuff as well as the old, useless ones. And remember, you have a double dose of everything.
2. Demarcate everything.
Even though they're twins, it's good to know what belongs to which kid. If you're dumping all their clothes and other accessories together, this new year might be a great time to consider doing otherwise. In the upcoming year, you could rearrange things at your place, and store the twins' belongings separately. This avoids confusion and just makes everything look organized and tidy. So, demarcate by putting different marks on accessories that belong to each child, like a dot on Twin 1's bottle as against a line on that of Twin 2.
3. Take turns with your partner.
Two babies are a lot to handle. It's obvious that you'd have to split the workload with your partner. Having twins would mean that you take care of one, while your partner takes care of the other. The wise thing to do in the upcoming year would be to switch between tasks such as nappy changes and bath times so that both children get the equal attention of both parents.
4. Join a multiples group.
Having twins would leave you with very less time to do anything else, but this new year, one resolution you should look at is to join a 'multiples' group. This would help you interact with people who have twins. These interactions will help you learn how to manage things at home and will also give you an opportunity to share your learnings with other parents. It will also be a good change for you. Why not explore the different multiples groups in and around your area, and get started?
5. Field the dumb questions about twins.
"Do they sneeze at the same time?" "If I pinch one, will the other cry?" Questions like these are not new for parents with twins. People are very intrigued about twins, and they believe that these little ones come with supernatural powers or something. While such dumb questions can irritate the living daylights out of you, this new year would be a good time for you to resolve to play smarty pants, and take the dumb bulls by the horns! Good luck!
6. Shop smart.
With twins around, the need to get supplies multiply like bunnies. The stocks at home magically disappear, and just after you think you have shopped enough for supplies, you realize that there are no diapers or enough feeding bottles. This new year, shop smart. You could either shop online, but if you feel you'll overspend, one way to go about it is by collecting coupons or applying for membership cards. This will make shopping for your twins a less hectic and a slightly less expensive affair.
7. Schedule 'me' time.
Okay, at least try! Having twins is like working overtime, so we get it if you can't schedule this in advance. Any chance that you get must be devoted to yourself. You've leased out your womb to two humans at the same time, birthed them, and now you're also feeding and cleaning them, so 'me' time is certainly important. Or you've fathered them. We are all for equality! This coming year, resolve to have more of these 'me' times.
8. Connect with family.
With two tiny humans raiding your time, you have disconnected yourself from people who matter. Parents, grandparents, other members of the family and friends do feel it, but they choose to understand your plight as well. Be a good wife or husband, pamper your partner because they're going through all the surge of emotions just like you are. Call people, text them, or if possible catch up with them. Don't miss out on connecting with people you love. This should be your resolution for the new year.
9. Stop comparing twins.
Since they're right there, together, in front of you, inside your head, you might be comparing the two. Height, weight, skin color, progress -- these are things that might vary. Just as you don't like comparing your children with others, similarly, don't compare them with each other, either. It will just cause you to phase out at times, and it's uncalled for.
10. Buy two of everything.
Now, you might be thinking that variety is the spice of life while picking toys from the shopping center aisle and dumping it into your trolley, but your twins won't necessarily think so. In fact, they'll never think so. If one twin has a toy in its hand, the other twin will want the same one. They'll never settle for something else. So, just get two of everything this year to avoid twin meltdowns at home.
11. Get help.
Kids create mess. Twins create double the mess. The math is pretty simple. Tending to two kids, while taking care of yourself, a few things will get put on the backburner. For example, cooking, cleaning, sleeping and all of that. While you obviously can't hire someone to sleep for you, you can pretty much hire someone for the rest of the chores. This new year, do yourself a favor and get some help.
With these new year resolutions to your aid, you can have twice the fun with your two little muffins! Having twins is a different but beautiful experience, so don't let run-of-the-mill stuff bog you down!
Aradhana is a writer from India. Her areas of knowledge include parenting, children with special needs, health and lifestyle. She loves being outdoors and her hobbies include cycling and hiking. She has a special interest in children with special needs and parenting and shares her experiences through her other passion -- that is writing. She writes to share her knowledge so that it may help others. Her posts on these subjects have been published in more than 250+ various reputable sites.
