To mothers of multiples...............

[Remudamom]

bkpan's comment made me wonder about this.

 

Our triplets are identical boys and a bonus baby girl. For those of you with twins.............

 

Do they like to dress alike?

Do they get along?

Do they love to be together?

Is one a leader and one a follower?

 

Our boys who are identical (14) want to be together all the time, like to dress alike but different colors, still sleep in a big bed although they have another room available, get along fabulously and both want to lead, there isn't a follower.

 

How bout yours?

[The Girls' Mom]

 

Do they like to dress alike?

Do they get along?

Do they love to be together?

Is one a leader and one a follower?

 

 

 

I have identical girls.

 

No, they do not dress alike, and will even change clothes if they happen to put on something similar. They even want their hair cut different.

 

They do get along very well. Not to say there aren't fights, but they are together 99% of the time and even sleep in the same bed. (and they each have their own)

 

I think they swap leadership roles depending on the situation. Sarah can be a little bossy though, and Miranda is very shy around new people. That means that in public, Sarah usually leads the way.

[bkpan]

bkpan's comment made me wonder about this.

 

Our triplets are identical boys and a bonus baby girl. For those of you with twins.............

 

Do they like to dress alike?

Do they get along?

Do they love to be together?

Is one a leader and one a follower?

 

Our boys who are identical (14) want to be together all the time, like to dress alike but different colors, still sleep in a big bed although they have another room available, get along fabulously and both want to lead, there isn't a follower.

 

How bout yours?

 

Well, our twin boys are 7yo, so it is still a love/hate kinda thing. They play together most often, and fight together the most. They don't care what they wear (boys!), so I could put out matching outfits and they wouldn't care (but I rarely do now). I'd say one is more of a leader than the other, but they are fairly evened out. They are close in age to their other siblings, so it seems to be more often the 4 boys together. They all share a room at the moment, but we have split up each twin with a brother, and they are fine with that.

 

I did put them into ps for K, and requested that they be in separate classrooms. I think that was good for them.

 

Kim

[Brigitte]

My girls are fraternal. They are night and day. One loves horses, pants, and getting dirty. The other loves ballet, dresses, and being neat. One is more outgoing with adults and the other with kids. Generally they get along very well, especially considering they spend 99.9% of their time together. They are in bunkbeds. There was talk of moving to separate rooms, but they don't like it when they get mad at each other and one goes to sleep in our bed. So, one room for them for a very long time.

[Remudamom]

[quote name=bkpan;739202

 

I did put them into ps for K' date=' and requested that they be in separate classrooms. I think that was good for them.

 

Kim

 

Divide and conquor. That's the spirit!!!

[Remudamom]

My girls are fraternal. They are night and day. One loves horses, pants, and getting dirty. The other loves ballet, dresses, and being neat. One is more outgoing with adults and the other with kids. Generally they get along very well, especially considering they spend 99.9% of their time together. They are in bunkbeds. There was talk of moving to separate rooms, but they don't like it when they get mad at each other and one goes to sleep in our bed. So, one room for them for a very long time.

 

You can send me the horse lover. I joke that our boys will have to marry identical twins and live in a duplex.

[cathmom]

My boys are identical. They are 3 years old.

 

I have never dressed them alike. In fact, when people (read: mil) gave me two of the same outfit, I gave both outfits to one boy. This makes it much easier to identify them in pictures, to know which one you are talking to from the back and at a distance, and for my dh to tell them apart. (yes, he still has trouble, and they know it and try playing him, even at age 3!) But now that they have some say in what they are wearing, they want to dress similarly. for example, if one has a Pooh shirt on, the other one wants one as well. Mil finally starting buying similar not identical clothes so that helps!

 

They get along fabulously and have actually never really been separated. They fight less than I would have thought.

 

I wouldn't say one is a leader and one is a follower. One is more mischievous, and I figured out a while back that I need to pay attention to what he is getting into more so than the other. So in that way he's a leader, but his brother does not necessarily follow him. He tends to be introverted, and will go into their room by himself and shut the door and play, which his extraverted brother would not do.

 

My dh keeps saying, "But they're IDENTICAL. They are supposed to be IDENTICAL." Sorry, hon, they're not.

[Danestress]

my twin boys are 11.

 

They look somewhat different and have very different personalities. Neither is really the leader. They mostly get along very well and love each other - they cheer for each other and are supportive. They do bicker like old women sometimes.

[teamturner]

I have fraternal twin boys that just turned 9 yo.

 

Do they like to dress alike?

They will dress alike but they only do it themselves sometimes. I was tickled when W tried to get J to wear matching outfits on the day they were going to be recognized for their birthday at co-op. W wanted everyone to know that they were twins!

 

Do they get along?

They fight like crazy but they love each other like crazy too! They are so different from each other but have many of the same interests. W is pretty competitive with his brother but J doesn't care that much.

 

Do they love to be together?

They do almost everything together. They love to climb into each others bed at night to tell each other silly stories.

 

Is one a leader and one a follower?

They take turns being the leader or they fight over being the leader, depending on the situation. Mostly each one wants his own way.

 

Great thread! It's fun to read about other multiples!

[Ria]

I have boy/girl twins. They are sophomores in college and will be 20 soon.

 

Do they like to dress alike?

 

No, thank goodness! But when they were younger (up to age 6) they enjoyed wearing similar outfits. I'm pretty sure they'll be in similar clothes on Sunday, though....Eagles jerseys, you know!

 

Do they get along?

 

Yes. They always have. I've rarely seen them argue.

 

Do they love to be together?

 

They are still the best of friends. Always have been. Although they don't go to the same college, their schools are in the same area (about 20 minutes apart). They do visit each other regularly and talk/text almost daily. Yesterday ds went up to visit dd at school....hers started before his. She left for school on Sunday, and he was visiting by Thursday. LOL. They both have lots of other friends, but really enjoy each other's company and friends, too.

 

Is one a leader and one a follower?

 

I think my dd is a little more outgoing, but I think they were pretty equal in that regard as younger kids.

 

Ria

[LaxMom]

 

Our boys who are identical (14) want to be together all the time, like to dress alike but different colors, still sleep in a big bed although they have another room available, get along fabulously and both want to lead, there isn't a follower.

 

How bout yours?

 

Mine, 4, are the same. They switch off leading, are completely thrown if one is "missing" (like one is sick and stays home from our homeschool co-op), dress in the same clothes but different colors, cuddle up like gerbils to sleep.

 

The dressing thing is really just color coding for other people. Mine are fraternal, but they look a lot alike.

[mamaof2andtwins]

I have 9 yo fraternal girls.

 

Sometimes I do catch them dressings alike, but most often not. I didn't dress them in matching outfits when they were young if I could help it. Sometimes I was given gifts and well, you know.

 

For the most part they get along in a way that is different and unique compared to the other siblings. They do have an occasional fight.

 

They do seem to play together a lot, but when they are in a larger group such as gym or co-op, they don't seem to "need" to be with each other. They share a room and I think they each dream of having their own room. One of them doesn't always seem so thrilled about being a twin.

 

I don't see one being more of a leader than the other. One is more serious and the other more distracted and immature. One plays hockey and the other rides horses and loves to do handiwork. Both love to be in the kitchen with me.

 

Jennie

[Jackie in AR]

Do they like to dress alike?

Do they get along?

Do they love to be together?

Is one a leader and one a follower?

 

Our boys who are identical (14) want to be together all the time, like to dress alike but different colors, still sleep in a big bed although they have another room available, get along fabulously and both want to lead, there isn't a follower.

 

How bout yours?

 

My identical boys, who turned 14 this week, love spending time together. They wear mostly jeans and casual shirts every day, and when we shop, they usually pick out the same style shirt, just in different colors. They get along fabulously, most days. ;) Neither of them seems to be the dominant personality; they each have areas where they lead. I hope they will always be as close as they are now.

 

ETA: When we first moved into this house (almost 10 years ago), we put them in separate bedrooms. That lasted about a month; they insisted on being back in a room together. We bought a bunk bed for them (top a twin, bottom a full) and they both slept in the bottom bunk until about 18 months ago when one moved to the top bunk.

Edited January 16, 2009 by Jackie in AR

[Lolly]

bkpan's comment made me wonder about this.

 

Our triplets are identical boys and a bonus baby girl. For those of you with twins.............

 

Do they like to dress alike?

Do they get along?

Do they love to be together?

Is one a leader and one a follower?

 

Our boys who are identical (14) want to be together all the time, like to dress alike but different colors, still sleep in a big bed although they have another room available, get along fabulously and both want to lead, there isn't a follower.

 

How bout yours?

 

Mine are fraternal girls (14).

 

They do not dress alike now, but did sometimes when they were little. Every once in a while, they will end up wearing the same (usually a tshirt from some event and jeans/shorts) and not realize it. It is always really funny when that happens.

 

They have always gotten along. Very, very little fighting or arguing. They know each other too well for that. They do sometimes bicker like a couple who has been married for a long time.

 

At this point, being together isn't a big deal. When they were smaller, they needed to have each other around. They didn't necessarily stick to each other like glue, they just needed the other somewhere nearby. They would play with different kids. Just that touchstone in the room was enough. Today, they would miss each other terribly if they were separated for very long. It just doesn't generally happen. When they go to camp, they want to room with other people, but be suite-mates or across the hall from each other.

 

Leader/follower? No. One is a mothering type. She mothers everyone, including me! The other is more laid back. She allows herself to be mothered. Not really leader/follower.

 

When the girls were little, they had their own beds, but slept in a single twin. At 12, they asked for separate rooms. It made me a little sad, but now they have their own rooms and don't normally sleep together.

[Tracey in TX]

Do they like to dress alike? Occasionally, by choice. When friends come over they all dress identically. :) I require coordinating outfits for holidays and family photos for everyone. I dressed them identically until 1y/o.

 

Do they get along? Love/hate relationship

 

Do they love to be together? sometimes. When they're in the togetherness phase, they sleep, work, work out, and play together. When they don't get along, our home is chaos.

 

Is one a leader and one a follower? Fraternal boy is oblivious to his sisters, idolizing big brother. LOL Girls are both leaders. In our family we have "too many Chiefs, and not enough little Indians".

[Mary in NJ]

I have fraternal 11 yo boys.

 

They dress in a similar fashion, but not alike. One likes to wear jeans with a belt, while the other one only wants to wear athletic type clothes. Their pull over shirts almost always look alike, just in different colors. The athletic twin prefers red, while the blue jean guy likes dark blue. Church clothes look exactly the same to me. I mention this to them, and they insist that one of the suits is a lighter gray than the other suit. The ties are very different, so they think that they look NOTHING alike. Funny!

 

They sleep in a very small room with two twin beds and a dresser. There is another open larger bedroom where they keep toys, books, legos, etc. They have never asked to have separate rooms.

 

The boys get along well, and have long running jokes between them that none of us understand. They look out for each other and become distressed if the other twin is ill or sad about something.

 

We have seen them wrestle and get mad at one another, but it doesn't last long. One twin is competitive, while the other twin is laid back. I suppose that lends to less friction around here!

[eight_gregorys]

Do they like to dress alike?

 

I was one of those mom's that loved to dress them alike when they were little. They decide what to wear now and don't dress themselves the same.

 

Do they get along?

 

We have six children and they get along the best. They play well together and like some of the same things. I hardly ever hear them argue.

 

Do they love to be together?

 

Definitely. They will always ask, "Can my brother do that, too?" It's so endearing. Our kids get along pretty well, but David and Jonathan get along the best.

 

Is one a leader and one a follower?

 

 

I don't see one being more of a leader than the other. One is more serious and the other more distracted and immature.

 

 

 

That is exactly what ours are like, too.

 

David, the serious one, really loves to color and do crafts. Jonathan, the distracted one, likes to play soccer and other sports a lot. It's funny, they are identical twins, but Jonathan is good at sports and David is okay, but I just don't think he likes it as much as his brother. David is left-handed and Jonathan is right-handed. They are night and day on various things, but love some of the same things as well.

 

My husband always wonders how our boys can be identical and be so different. So it's pretty neat to see others who identical twins are the same way.

[Jen500]

My identical boys, who turned 14 this week, love spending time together. They wear mostly jeans and casual shirts every day, and when we shop, they usually pick out the same style shirt, just in different colors. They get along fabulously, most days. ;) Neither of them seems to be the dominant personality; they each have areas where they lead. I hope they will always be as close as they are now.

 

ETA: When we first moved into this house (almost 10 years ago), we put them in separate bedrooms. That lasted about a month; they insisted on being back in a room together. We bought a bunk bed for them (top a twin, bottom a full) and they both slept in the bottom bunk until about 18 months ago when one moved to the top bunk.

 

This describes my identical boys, age 9!! One is more willing to try new things than the other.

[RoughCollie]

My boys found out they are triplets when they were 6 years old. I will never forget how ruffled their feathers were when they told me about it, and how surprised they were when I told them it was true. We have always treated them as individuals and have not dressed them alike. One thing I particularly dislike is when parents consistently refer to their multiples as a group -- "the twins" or "the triplets". For example, one mother I know refers to her kids as "Joe and the twins", and it drives me nuts because the twins have names too, and they are individual people.

 

People are always surprised at how different they are in personality. I hear remarks about that every time we go anywhere. Even though they are not identical, I am frequently told that they look alike by folks who need glasses. For a long time, people thought we had quads because DD was the same size as the boys (or taller) for years.

 

Do they like to dress alike?

 

Sometimes they accidentally dress alike. They think it is funny when that happens.

 

Do they get along?

 

They argue about a lot of things and tell me it is because they have the debating gene. They have different interests which intersect at reading and video games. Two love to draw, and all love to write. They are very competitive with each other about everything.

 

We have always had the problem that they are more interested in the responses, especially laughter, that they get from one another than from anything I say. They've had a lot of fun, and I've cleaned up a lot of messes.

 

Do they love to be together?

 

It's hard to tell. When they moved to toddler beds, they would all crawl into the same bed when the lights were out. This caused DS3 to be crushed, and he complained. DS2 wanted his own room and got it. After that, for many years, the boys would all sleep in the same room together, with 2 on the floor, usually.

 

When they were in K, forced by the school to be in separate classes, they hated it. That was a big mistake. When they were in 1st grade PS for awhile, they were in the same class. They didn't interact much, but being with their brothers made all the difference. Now that DS1 is in PS, he tries to persuade his brothers to go to school with him. When DS1 and DS3 were in parochial school last year, they tried hard to persuade DS2 to join them.

 

The boys refer to themselves as being "alone" unless their brothers are with them. Yet they argue and compete over every little thing, a lot of it made up out of thin air, such as who loves the dog the most.

 

They also stick their noses into each others business all the time, as though it is their inherent right to do so. They have made sure their sister knows how to handle her life, ever since they taught her how to climb out of her crib and woke me up to excitedly tell me the good news.

 

Is one a leader and one a follower?

 

DS1 is the self-proclaimed leader, best at everything, and into psychoanalyzing his brothers. He sometimes treats his brothers in a fatherly manner. DS2 gets really mad about all that because he is the leader, and the most mature. DS3 doesn't let any of that bother him; he just goes along living his life and ignoring his brothers' arguments over who is the leader.

 

RC

Edited January 16, 2009 by RoughCollie

[Jenmomof3]

I have b/g twins. They are really just like any brother and sister at this age. We had times when they were smaller that we dressed them similarly, but not often. Now, they choose their own clothes and very rarely try to coordinate.

They have a love/dislike relationship. They are each others best friend, but all that time together can cause some big fights. They are each others biggest supporter and at other times their biggest competitor.

I would have to say that they both take a leadership role at different times. My dd was definitely the leader when they were younger in a bossy kind of way. But some of that seems to have changed as they're getting older.

It's so fun to watch their relationship grow and change.