Would this be ok to ask mum of twins? [Archive]

Minstrel

11-02-2014, 01:13 PM

I've got two little boys starting in September. They currently go to preschool with dd and I will have them after school. They are identical twins, very cute, but very alike. I can't tell the difference and they dress the same too. From September they'll be in uniform anyway so dressing isn't an option. Being boys they can't style their hair differently or use a bow! So could I ask her to pop a coloured badge on their collar or similar. Wwyd? Would she be offended?

FussyElmo

11-02-2014, 01:17 PM

I've got two little boys starting in September. They currently go to preschool with dd and I will have them after school.

They are identical twins, very cute, but very alike. I can't tell the difference and they dress the same too. From September they'll be in uniform anyway so dressing isn't an option. Being boys they can't style their hair differently or use a bow!

So could I ask so pops a coloured badge on their colour or similar. Wwyd? Would she be offended?

Ohhhhhh I don't know.

Maybe if you did a different child each day then you are not singling one out.

Shes either going to laugh and tell you ways of telling them apart or she will offended.

QualityCare

11-02-2014, 01:37 PM

Tell her your concerned about not telling them apart and ask for her suggestions on how people tell the difference, school will also be having the same problem so it could be solved for you.

AdeleMarie88

11-02-2014, 01:40 PM

When you have settling in sessions you will just have to study them as hard as you can so you can see the difference, you soon will be able to tell them apart once you know them! X

Mouse

11-02-2014, 01:45 PM

My friend has identical twins and you do get to know them apart. It's not just about how they look, but their mannerisms, the way they talk etc.

Maybe to start with you could give all the children a name badge to wear (even your daughter). You could do it as an activity where they make their own badges. That way no one is singled out :thumbsup:

Ripeberry

11-02-2014, 01:46 PM

I can't see how the parents would be offended. Twins are hard to tell apart. Until you get to know them, you won't have the same 'knowledge' as the parents.

Becci26

11-02-2014, 01:48 PM

Different socks! Another cm I know found this to work really well x

Tealady

11-02-2014, 02:13 PM

Different socks! Another cm I know found this to work really well x

That's what DD's school did with the identical twins in her year.

Glitter

11-02-2014, 02:20 PM

I look after identical twin boys. Even after a year I sometimes can't tell which is which, even Mum says some days she can find it hard!
The school asked the mum to write the initial on the collar of their t-shirts so they could tell.

I am sure the Mum will be used to people being confused. Be honest with her from the beginning and she is more likely to help you out.

Minstrel

11-02-2014, 03:59 PM

FussyElmo

11-02-2014, 04:16 PM

Yes I'm sure I'll work it out soon enough. I'd just hate to keep getting it wrong -it can't be good for their confidence!

Dd assures me they don't mind which one you call them and that they both answer to both names but I'll not be taking her advice. Lol

There is a set of twins at toddler group nana assures me that one is bigger than the other which is good when they are both in front of me but not when there is only one :laughing::laughing:

PeekABoos

11-02-2014, 04:35 PM

Love the idea of name tags they can make/you can make for the younger ones. That way the other children will be able to tell them apart too. xx

rachelle

11-02-2014, 05:32 PM

Name badges are okay so long as you label all the kids and not just the twins (I have ID twins and it really grated when they were labelled and no one else was!)

Different colour socks will help.

ALso - one with collar in jumper, one out or one with all 3 polo buttons done up and one with only 2 - all very subtle and obvious only to you.

My 2 used to be told apart by their shoes and then their glasses but this year have the same of both so people have to just know (I tried to give the wrong one his school bag earlier so they are fairly similar!)
You will find once you get to know them that they have different personalities and ways of speaking which will tell them apart for you - honest!

bunyip

11-02-2014, 05:48 PM

How about finding they each do something good each day (preferably within minutes of arrival) and giving them each a different 'reward' sticker to wear?

Use the ones that say "Great Work!" or "Brilliant" - not the ones that say "Tweedledee" and "Tweedledum". :rolleyes:

blue bear

11-02-2014, 06:35 PM

At our school they stick name stickers on all the children for the first two weeks, so hopefully they will still have them on when you collect them. By then you will have worked out ways to tell them apart with any luck.

shortstuff

11-02-2014, 06:41 PM

I had identical twin girls for a while. I quickly noticed one had a freckle on her forehead so problem over.

Maybe you will get lucky and spot something unique which will be your little identifier with no name tags.

Emra81

11-02-2014, 07:21 PM

I used to teach in a year group with triplets.....suffice to they weren't unfamiliar with finding themselves in trouble for breaking the rules and used the fact that people struggling to tell them apart to their advantage! Mum got wise to this and so it was agreed that the boys would wear different style school shirts. The school uniform was white tops but one wore proper white shirts and the other 2 wore white polo shirts with slightly different collars....anyone who taught them regularly soon got the hang of which one they were talking to! Might be helpful to suggest it to Mum if their uniform allows it?

emma04

11-02-2014, 08:21 PM

How about finding they each do something good each day (preferably within minutes of arrival) and giving them each a different 'reward' sticker to wear? Use the ones that say "Great Work!" or "Brilliant" - not the ones that say "Tweedledee" and "Tweedledum". :rolleyes:

I would do this!! Lol

Minstrel

11-02-2014, 08:44 PM

How about finding they each do something good each day (preferably within minutes of arrival) and giving them each a different 'reward' sticker to wear? Use the ones that say "Great Work!" or "Brilliant" - not the ones that say "Tweedledee" and "Tweedledum". :rolleyes:

But how will I know what 'great work' or 'brilliant' stands for! Maybe call a name and see which one comes??

fionamadcat

12-02-2014, 06:46 AM

My friend looks after identical twin girls who are now 9 they accept that they look alike and generally answer to each others names! It is a bit better now they are a bit older and have slightly different hair styles, there was a time though that only their family and close friends can tell them apart. I certainly can't tell them apart even after knowing them for about 5 yrs, I forget which had which hair style! I would maybe involve the boys in a way of telling them apart they will probably know of some difference between them.

KatieFS

12-02-2014, 01:53 PM

Yes! Spk to mum and let her know. Could the children decide on a code? What are their interests? Get some stickers maybe they can chose?? Or make a badge perhaps??

I looked after id twins girls - we had stickers for a while... after a while you can see the differences, very subtle though and from the back or side I still didn't know difference!!

Xx

hectors house

12-02-2014, 02:00 PM

I went to school with identical twin girls in my class - I could tell them apart if they were both there as one had a squarer chin - however over the last 30 years since I left school they are never together - don't tell them but I have been blagging it all that time, the last time I bumped into one in town she said she had seen on Facebook that my brother had moved abroad - I knew then that I was talking to X as she used to work with my brother many years ago but bet I don't remember which one it is next time. :D

wee_elf

12-02-2014, 03:35 PM

Mummits

12-02-2014, 07:08 PM

I just call everyone sweetheart all the time - even the parents. :D In fact even my own family :D

smurfette

14-02-2014, 10:37 AM

I have looked after a few sets of identical twins in my class over the years and I find that I usually find a distinguishable feature after a few months (still have the odd mix up though). The worst part is when they are old enough to mess with you, answering to each others names!!! I am daft enough at times without this lol :blush: xx

My husband is one of identical twins , I could tell them apart looking at them because one had a moustache but not on the phone.. They used to wind me up when I was first going out with him and I never knew which one I was talking to on the phone!

kellyskidz!

14-02-2014, 01:04 PM

My husband is one of identical twins , I could tell them apart looking at them because one had a moustache but not on the phone.. They used to wind me up when I was first going out with him and I never knew which one I was talking to on the phone!

Lol!!:laughing:

buzzy bee

14-02-2014, 02:37 PM

I used to look after identical twin baby boys and to start with I couldn't tell them apart but then after a couple of weeks I could really easily tell them apart. So you may find after a little while you can too. But I know some mums of identical twins do this sort of thing anyway and I don't think she'd be offended if you asked.

AdeleMarie88

17-02-2014, 12:25 PM

Just saw this news story, imagine four identical babies!!

http://news.sky.com/story/1212929/mother-surprised-by-identical-quadruplets

Xx

Tatjana

17-02-2014, 11:50 PM