Today I was out with the boys at the hospital for some simple lab work. I entered the waiting area only to have it noticed that my children were twins. The only other family in the area was chatting with the receptionist and an elderly woman regarding the multiple multiples in her family. She went on and on about her father and how he was a twin, had 2 sets of twins with 2 different women and each one of those twins had gone on to have a set, along with a cousin of hers. She herself is a twin.
I was immediately drafted into this conversation regarding multiples which detailed our children's birth weights, labor difficulty, delivery type, personalities of my children, current age, etc. This is a complete stranger! I listened politely as she proclaimed the importance of treating each child as their own person, not comparing them, and so on. I made chit chat, but was not interested in being engaged in this 30 Question moment.
What intrigued me most about her, and I will say about most people, is her complete lack of knowledge about twins. Astounding, I know, considering her birth status. So as an act of service, I want to take a moment and enlighten everyone about multiples.
1. Never ask if boy/girl twins are identical. You just look dumb. My husband never believed that I was asked this question, but after 9 years of marriage he now will tell you that people can be this dumb.
2. Twins do not "skip" a generation. Any multiple birth is a result of many factors. Fertility drug intervention, the number of previous pregnancies, maternal age, all play a role. As do the general probabilities of twins in a family.
3. Your father/brother/husband/uncle being a twin has zero bering on your fertility. Men always shoot multiples. It has nothing to do with the number of targets they have to hit. It's all up to the woman.
4. If giving gifts to same sex twins, PLEASE JUST BUY 2! Or, purchase a gift that they can play with together like walkie talkies, or a train set. You are causing undo stress on the parents.
5. There isn't a "bad one". And while we're on the topic no, I don't have a favorite. Do you? Just as my father always said "You are no different than any other siblings. You just happen to be born at the same time".
6. Finally, yes....sometimes I do dress them alike because after all of the double work (it really is at least double!) I should be able to have some fun. But I don't do it all the time. Mainly, it's to keep them easily spotted out in public, or just that I found a good deal and they wear the same size. I do need 2 of everything. (See #4)
Most people have no concept of ovulation or conception, so the fact that you've gotten idiot remarks doesn't surprise me in the least! After all, this IS south carolina :)
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