Cribs for Twins - Would you use this Double-Decker Twin Crib?

 Lower gated area for baby #1.  Upper area for baby #2 

This crib seems very European to me.  It reminds me of furniture you would find in those little apartments found all over cities like Copenhagen, Denmark or Stockholm, Sweden.  I can totally picture those parents using this Double-Decker style crib to accommodate the small space their family shares.  

I like the idea a lot.  Kind of reminds me of the small-space friendly Over/Under washer drier set-ups, well except the fact that the baby on top could fall out of the upper part instead of just being a t-shirt fall to the ground.

I think if the upper crib had some roof-top like safety system on it, I may be more okay with this.  And it would HAVE to be anchored to the wall for stability.  

I definitely think it is pretty cool though and if I had twin infants, I think I would consider it.

Check out this video from Oprah.com, showing the small, simple spaces that Denmark families share.  This video will make clearer how this crib could come in handy in some spaces.

Video: http://www.oprah.com/world/Oprah-Tours-a-Typical-Home-in-Copenhagen-Denmark-Video#ixzz1quvmws3x

365 Days of Twinipedia - Day 106 | Colleges that give Twins discounts and scholarships!

Day One-Hundred and Six of Twinipedia 

Fact #106

Our friends at About.com (About Multiples),  have shared some other really cool information about twin scholarships that are available. This time they shared what colleges and universities give money to multiples who plan to attend that school at the same time.
Here are some colleges and universities with specific programs...

• Randolph College, Lynchburg, Virginia. Offers a 15% discount on tuition when both twins are enrolled; the scholarship is renewable each year of enrollment. There is no application process; contact the financial aid department for further information. In 2008-2009, five sets of twins took advantage of the discount. (Read more about Randolph College at About.com's Guide to College Admissions.)

To check out the other six schools listed by About.com that give multiples tuition discounts, go to -

http://multiples.about.com/od/twinsinschool/a/twinscholarship.htm

365 Days of Twinipedia - Day 105 | Twins and College scholarship assistance

Day One-Hundred & Five of Twinipedia


Fact #105

Wish we had known this information when we were applying to college!

About.com, Guide to Twins author Pamela Prindle Fierro took the time to share some really important information about twins and money assistance for college on the site.  We think this is way cool and think this is a great example of an author using her influence for the better good.  Thanks for this information Pamela!!!!

Pamela shares that "Twins that aren't planning to attend the same college may qualify for scholarships through a twins club or organization."  She recommends to parents of twins to join multiples clubs in their area as well as nationally in order to have the opportunity to apply for these scholarship funds for their twins. 

She notes that the National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs is a great resource for finding information about a club in your area.

She also shares that each year, twins that attend the Twins Day Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio have the opportunity to win scholarship money for schooling. 

 "A $1,000 scholarship is given to a set of twins each festival...and the winning pair of twins must be seniors in high school and have attended and registered at least three of the last five festivals."

Lastly she talks about the Northwest Association Mother of Twins Clubs. This club "awards several scholarships per year to those candidates who qualify as a multiple birth and are looking to further their education. Once known as the Twin Scholarship Fund, it is now called the Shan Pynes Scholarship."

To check out more of the articles Pamela has written, or to ask her further questions about these scholarship opportunities, go to   http://multiples.about.com/od/twinsinschool/a/twinscholarship.htm




http://multiples.about.com/od/twinsinschool/a/twinscholarship.htm

365 Days of Twinipedia - Day 104 | Your twins and the college admissions effect

Day One-Hundred & Four of Twinipedia


Fact #104

Did you know that many colleges will work hard to admit both twins in a pair to the same school during admissions decisions.  They are conscious of the special bond that twins have and do not want to cause a rift, animosity or separation if is is avoidable.
Although they are also more likely to decline a pair or wait-list a pair if one of the twins looks like s/he will succeed at that school while the other does not in order to avoid the above issues noted.

365 Days of Twinipedia - Day 103 |

Day One Hundred & Three of Twinipedia Facts

Fact #103

Here is a fun little fact.  Scientists have been able to show that dogs who are trained in scent identification can always tell apart twins.  So even if mom and dad get confused, Rover will not!  

365 Days of Twinipedia - Day 102 | The College Choice Dilemma with Twins

Day One Hundred & Two of Twinipedia Facts
Fact #102

Ah the never ending dilemmas that parents of twins have to tackle throughout their multiple's lives...

• Dress them the same or different?
• Have the same pediatrician or choose separate ones (especially when the twin set is boy/girl)?
• Allow them to have the same friends or encourage their own friendships?
• Send them to kindergarten together or separate them?
• And the ever looming decision as to whether twins should go to the same college or not?... If and when they decide to take that next educational step in life.  

Some experts say separation is totally a necessity to be sure that twins learn to be independent and self-reliant.  But some experts say that is not so, and twins can carve their own lives and niches at college while still sharing their daily lives in the same place.

  

Again, this decision seems to fall into the same category as kindergarten decision making.  It seems to come down to what is best for each individual set of twins.  Plus at this older developmental age, twins can be a bigger part in making the decision about going off to college together or separately.  No decision would be perfect and remembering that most decisions are not permanent can ease the minds of many twin parents out there.

My sister and I ended up at different colleges, me in NY and Becca in Rhode Island.  Surprisingly, I know that I did not really even think too much about our inevitable separation ahead of time.  It was actually the morning of my departure when it really hit me that we were going to be apart, in fact hours away from one another, and would not see each other every single day as we had for our whole lives thus far.  And when the final goodbye came, it was like someone punched us both in the gut .  We cried like babies.  But we both agree now that it was a good choice for us to go to different schools.  I was less confident then Becca then and needed some independence to gain more self-esteem.  We were also definitely interested in different academic subjects and prioritized education differently so different schools fulfilled our individual needs at the time.  We had to do our own thing for awhile.  If for no other reasons than to find our "own" selves as well as to come to a point were we appreciated each other as completely as we do now.

Good luck if you are a parent of twins.  No one decision will be the perfect decision but all we can do is our best to make good, educated choices!

Here is an interesting article on this decision making dilemma - Enjoy!
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College choice is twin dilemma
By Rebecca Kaplan, USA TODAY

When Ariella Korn of Buffalo starts college at Hobart and William Smith this fall, it will be like leaving part of herself behind.

That's because her twin, Elana, will be three hours away at Union College. The 18-year-old fraternal twins have never been separated.

College choices can be "vexing" for twins, says professor Nancy Segal, head of the Twin Studies Center at California State University-Fullerton...

The "going wisdom" is to go to different schools, but "society has to stop putting pressure on twins to separate," Segal says...


To read the entire article, go to http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-07-20-college-twins_N.htm

365 Days of Twinipedia - Day 101

Day One Hundred & One of Twinipedia Facts

Fact #101

Never in a million years would we have thought that as far back as 1689, doctors were already Successfully separating conjoined twins.  Now at the time these types of twins were referred to as Siamese twins.

The first twins to be separated were Elizabeth and Catherine Mayer. They were joined "in the region between the Xiphoid process and the umbilicus". Since the Xiphoid process is the tip of your sternal bone that helps keep your rib cage from flopping open, and your umbilicus is basically your belly button region, the girls were joined just below their rib cages and just above their belly buttons.  The location these twins are joined is one were the twins are less likely to be connected together by any vital organs other than perhaps their liver/s.  

Their doctor, Johannes Fotio performed the surgery in Brazilea. He was able to "separate the umbilical vessels" of the twins and then transected," (cut and connect) "the bridging tissues that were between the girls."


They girls survived the surgery and were the beginning of a long medical history of conjoined twins being separated throughout the world.

To read the entire article that shared these facts along with other interesting conjoined twin's stories, go to
http://www.bmj.sk/2004/10502-01.pdf

TWINS: 365 days of Twinipedia - Day 100

Day ONE HUNDRED of Twinipedia Facts
Fact #100

What do parents of twins that look soooooo alike at birth do to make sure they are able to distinguish between the two babes.

Some ideas we have heard that seem like smart ways to keep their individual identities clear and safe are:

• Place nail polish on their hand or toe nails so that you know baby A is one color and baby B is the other color (don't mix that info. up though either - LOL)
• Place some sort of of mark on the hospital bracelet with indelible marker. IE. the first initial of the babies names, a star and a heart, two different colored marker markings...
• Place different colored or designed socks on each baby so that their cute feeties will let you know who is who.

It may seem strange to some parents of twins that any new moms and dad could ever confuse their babes since it comes so easy to them.  Know though that some twins are just so so alike physically, and also some parents are just so tired and not themselves after the laboring process that this distinguishing between the babies doesn't always come as easy to everyone.

Hopefully these ideas help those moms and dads who have trouble telling their twinnies apart feel a little more confident that who they ARE cuddling with the little in they think they are.

TWINS: 365 days of Twinipedia - Day 99 | Cute Fictional Books about Twins

Day Ninety-nine of Twinipedia Facts

Fact #99

Here are a few Cute Fictional-Reads about Twins we wanted to share today - 


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Take Two!: A Celebration of Twins [Hardcover]
J. Patrick Lewis (Author), Jane Yolen (Author), Sophie Blackall (Illustrator) 

Amazon book description - 

Know some twins, or expecting to? This twinspired collection pairs poems and pictures in a lighthearted salute to the many twins among us.

Old twins, new twins, famous twins, not-at-all-alike twins, side-byside twins, let's play twins, not-yet twins, mirror twins - all kinds of twins! - come together in a collection of original poems by two of our most celebrated authors for young people: J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen. From a wave and a wink to a twin switcheroo, from a rocket to the moon to the old woman who lived in a shoe, these poems and mini facts, whimsically illustrated by Sophie Blackall, will leave even singletons with a twinkle in their eyes. Here is the perfect book to share with the twins in your life - and everyone who loves them.

Price: $11.61

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Twin Brothers [Paperback]
Stephanie Heider (Author)  

Amazon book description -  

Follow Twin Brothers on an exciting journey as they discover all the antics they can accomplish together and the security of the comraderie they share. Mothers cabinet door locks and things far out of reach are no match for this dynamic duo! Author Stephanie Heider reminds readers of all ages that life is better with a friend by your side and proves that twins arent multiplied mischief but a precious, treasured pair.

Price - $7.99

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The Land of Long Ago [Hardcover]

Elsa Beskow (Author)

Amazon book description -   

Kelly and Kai love to play on the gnarled old tree trunk outside their cottage in the woods: sometimes it becomes a horse, sometimes a crocodile and sometimes even a dragon. One day a mischievous gnome makes the tree trunk come to life, and the children are whisked off to the Land of Long Ago on the back of the old tree dragon. On their incredible journey Kelly and Kai meet a princess, rescue a knight and trick the king of the trolls. But will the old tree dragon stay alive long enough to bring them home again? A delightful fairy tale from Elsa Beskow, with beautiful illustrations in her unique, classic style.

Price: $12.21
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Twin to Twin [Hardcover]

Margaret O'Hair (Author), Thierry Courtin (Illustrator)

Amazon book description -    

Double born.  Twice the blessing.  Double kids.  Twice the messing.
Twins mean double the kisses and double the fun. It's double the joy for everyone!

Price: $11.55

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Two is for Twins [Board Book]

Wendy Cheyette Lewison (Author), Hiroe Nakata (Illustrator)

Amazon book description -


What makes two? All sorts of things. A bicycle's wheels. A bluebird's wings. And twins, as you can plainly see, Are just as two as two can be.This brightly illustrated board book is a buoyant, bouncy ode to the joys of twindom. Perfect for children who are twins, and just as perfect for children who aren't!  

Price - $6.99

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Hello Twins [Paperback]
Charlotte Voake (author)


Amazon book description -


"Voake’s sibling homage reminds us that family harmony can happen even when the children sing separate songs." — THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

Charlotte and Simon are twins, but they couldn’t be more different. Charlotte likes to build things, and Simon likes to knock things down. Simon likes to draw shapes over and over, and Charlotte likes to copy the numbers on the clock. And they don’t even look much alike! But whether upside down or right side up, these two like each other just the way they are. Here is an acclaimed tale about twins that doubles as an ode to individuality — and a celebration of sibling bonds. 

Price - $6.99
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Just Like Me (Revised Edition) [Paperback]

Barbara J. Neasi (author)

Amazon book description -


I always wanted to be a twin like Julie and Jennifer. It teaches that children can be alike and different because that's what makes them unique. Although it is a little bit repetitive, with every page ending, "Just like me," or "Not like me," it emphasizes the point that no two people are exactly alike, but everyone has some things in common. 

Price - $4.95
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Little Miss Twins (Mr. Men and Little Miss) [Paperback]

Roger Hargreaves (Author, Illustrator) 



Amazon book description -


Travel to Twoland where two friends can be double the fun fun!! 

365 Days of Twinipedia - Day 98

Day Ninety-eight of Twinipedia Facts

Fact #98

We were sad to read that the belief that parents of twins are more likely to divorce than non-twin parents is actually partially true.  The Week.com's article on strange facts about twins stated that "It seems that twins can help unravel a marriage".  Doctors at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital have studied couples who have had twins and stated that "When a couple's only children are twins, parents are only about 1% more likely to get divorced than parents of singletons. But add in more kids (or less income), and the risk of divorce shoots up. The reason is probably the added stress, both financial and emotional."