The Top Five Challenges as a Parent of Twins
When I got pregnant with Rose and Ella, many people began to ask me how I’d handle the twins. Apparently, I never had an absolutely clear answer. For one, it was my first time having twins but on the contrary, I had had Ava before, so I figured out it wouldn’t be that hard.
However, things were not as I had expected. Having Rose and Eva was a totally new situation which I had been prepared for, nonetheless. Here are some of the top five challenges I faced that I’d love to share with you.
- Sleepless Nights
Having Ava meant sleepless nights, but having the twins was far much worse. Basically, with twins, sleep becomes a scarce commodity for both parents. Rose and Ella would cry at exchanging intervals. That meant we had to get used to the fact that shots of sleeps had to be measured in minutes.
Luckily, Daniel helped out. At times, he’d get up and if one of the twins needed their nappy changed and rocked back to sleep, he’d do it. Therefore, it would be wise if you planned this with your partner during your pregnancy.
- Telling Them Apart
I know this may sound kooky but it’s something that some parents go through. Telling your twins apart can be crazy especially when they grow up. That is why you have to come up with ways, together with your partner, of telling them apart.
For starters, you can use a non-harmful body ink and write their first letter of their names on your back. Nonetheless, with time you will be able to tell them apart.
- Cost of Taking Care of The Twins
During my pregnancy, Daniel and I laid out a financial plan of how we’d take care of the kids. That plan played a major role when I got the twins. Nonetheless, there were times where we had to add some more money on the proposed plan. As a young mum who has just had her twins, you better be open for that. Nevertheless, it’s amazing!
- Napping At Different Times
Rose and Ella were pretty fond of this. When one of the twins would be really sleepy, the other one would be hyperactive. So, we agreed with Daniel that one of us would take care of the twin who was awake. It also gave us a great opportunity to build a personal relationship with both the twins.
- The Quibbling
Most parents awesome that twins are best friends, surprisingly, competition between twins starts at a very early stage in life. Whenever one of my twins saw the other being fed or placed in their crib, they wanted the exact same thing done for them. At first, this turned out to be the hardest challenge. So, together with Daniel, we sat down and agreed on certain issues like, buying both of them same presents that were of the same color. Ultimately, this reduced the intense competition between the two.
Having twins may be twice the trouble for most parents and that’s why you need some help raising them bearing in mind that each phase will present a different nature of challenge.
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You have such interesting stories. I always love reading about twins. I’m glad I never had to do the twin thing, but I do love to read about them.
I’m really glad you included the part about telling them apart. I have always wondered how parents tell their twins apart before they start to show tell tale differences.
Raising a baby is expensive. I can imagine how much more that increases when you have twins! Twice the love, but twice the dirty diapers too 😉
I didn’t get much sleep with my singletons. I can’t imagine how little sleep I would have gotten with twins.
It can be hard enough to handle one child much less two! Plus, the cost is doubled!
The nap time arrangement was a great way to get parents single time with the kiddos. I love the idea!
I was always so thankful that our twins were such good sleepers, even before they slept through the night, they were excellent nappers… helped keep my sanity that is for sure.
I could not imagine how stressful it is to raise twins! Having twins brings you twice the mess, twice the colic, but you do get twice the kisses and twice the hugs too! I will send this post to my friend who recently gave birth to twin girls.
I only have singletons, but it was sure challenging those early years. I would have to imagine the lack of sleep, both at night and naptime, make it even harder to parent twins.
Im sure the cost of twin is expensive…I can only imagine. Also sleep deprivation has to be twice the issue.
I have a friend who has twins and it’s really going to be financially challenging. It’s going to cost you twice for everything, food, clothes, school, and toys! That’s why I really admire parents who have twins, it’s never going to be easy.