Search Results for: blog taming the green monster in twins

Twins Magazine – Magazine Review

One of the first things I did, once I found out I was expecting twins, was to order Twins Magazine. Twins Magazine has been around since 1984 and is published six times a year. The magazine focuses on multiple births, not only twins but triplets and even higher. I was so grateful to find a magazine geared toward multiples. I had a four year old and had learned a lot about parenting through other parent magazines. But those magazines didn’t cover twins. I didn’t know anyone with twins. I wasn’t sure I could manage two infants at the same time. … Continue reading →

Taming the Green Monster in Twins

I have recently come to the realization that my former “tried and true” techniques for taming jealousy in my other children have come to fall significantly short. There has always been the expectation that the oldest child is required to be slightly more gracious to a younger sibling simply because they are older and are capable of understanding more complex directions. However, Emily’s seventeen minutes of seniority over her sister have no effect on her ability to understand more complex directions. So, I am left with twin girls who will willingly trample each other to get to the object of … Continue reading →

Whole Wheat Stuffing with Roasted Veggies

For the last year, I’ve really been trying to systematically sneak more fruits and vegetables into our family’s diet. You’d think the kids would be the worst, and while I have one horribly picky eater, the truth is it’s my husband who is really bad about eating his veggies. He simply doesn’t. They sit right there on his plate and wait. . .only to be gobbled up by one of the twins. (Because you know that food on a parents’ plate is infinitely more appetizing than food on their own plates.) Coincidentally, for the first time ever since we’ve been … Continue reading →

No More Pricks for Jaundice Babies

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Every single one of my girls has had physiological jaundice. Basically, babies have an excess of red blood cells that need broken down, their livers are immature and the result is a yellowish tinged baby. My third baby Meghan, was in the hospital for almost four extra days under lights in a NICU, while my full term twins were in the hospital for almost seven whole days basking in the glow of ‘the lights.’ Jaundice, if left unchecked can lead to brain damage and a whole host of other serious health problems. The best way to avoid jaundice is to … Continue reading →

Is Your Babysitter Doing a Good Job?

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On the upper East side of Manhattan, it is rare for me to see a child’s parents. When I take my kids to their classes, I sit with the babysitters and chat. In fact, it is so rare to see a child’s own parents that upon first meeting me, one babysitter exclaimed, “Wow, isn’t it amazing how much you look like the kids you’re watching!” Uh. . .yeah. I get to watch babysitters all the time and I have to say that there are some pretty good nannies out there. . .and some pretty bad ones. I would think that … Continue reading →

Tales From the Potty: The Right Method

We are potty training our now 20 month old twins. In my previous Tales From the Potty, we talked about a few lessons that I’ve learned after successfully training three older children. Today, we’ll talk about how we are going about potty training this time around. First let me say that if you are looking for a ‘how to’ manual–this isn’t it. You would do better to search for potty training articles. I can tell you that you must be consistent, you must use the method that works for your child, and you must teach all the steps. I have … Continue reading →

Avoiding Comparisons

One of my daughters names as her most aggravating school assignment the “Compare and Contrast” essay so common in middle and high school English classes. She hates it passionately, saying it makes her feel creatively inhibited and “stuck” being reactionary. It occurred to me that this isn’t so different from “real life”—especial family life where we tend to constantly be comparing ourselves with others and contrasting our choices, decisions and burdens with others. For siblings, “compare and contrast” seems to be a fact of life, and for many of us parents, it’s pretty darn tough to avoid comparing our children … Continue reading →

The Inner Workings of Your Baby’s Mind: Part I

I have just spent about an hour. An hour of time that I definitely don’t have. An hour of time in which I could have been sleeping–an activity well worth my attention at this moment. I have just spent an hour reading what I have found to be an absolutely fascinating article. So now, here I am, sleepless, sharing it with you because I found the research truly that enthralling. Researchers are beginning to study the way the baby brain works. I always thought it was simple. They cry when they’re hungry, when they need to be changed, or when … Continue reading →