Raising twins

Twins may look identical from the outside, but the same observation cannot be applied to their personalities.

WHEN we talk about twins, most of us will immediately think of two people who have the same physical features, dressing exactly alike, and finishing each other's sentences. Not only that, they would naturally have the same likes and dislikes and react similarly to each other across all situations. However, this assumption is rarely accurate.

If you are the parents of twins, be careful not to harbour this distorted perception as more often than not, twins may appear to look alike on the outside, but they long to have their own separate identity. As they are often seen by people as "a package", these expectations may result in a variety of difficulties while growing up.

For instance, they may often feel that they have less freedom in acting and making decisions on their own. This is made harder by the fact that they are constantly compared to each other, which will make them feel as though one twin is better than the other. Thus, it is important for parents to realise that their twins are two separate persons.

Aren't twins supposed to look and be alike?

There are generally two types of twins - fraternal and identical twins. Fraternal twins, also known as non-identical twins, are not alike, neither physically nor genetically. This is because fraternal twins occur when two separate eggs are fertilised by two different sperms, producing two different zygotes.

Identical twins on the other hand, occur when a single egg is fertilised by a single sperm divides and breaks into two genetically identical zygotes.

However, it is important to realise that just because twins share the same birthday, it does not mean that they have identical thoughts and feelings. As parents, you are encouraged to raise your twins as individuals at the earliest time possible. Bear in mind that your role is to enhance their personality and skills, not to create them.

Try to help your twins be more aware of themselves, as individuals, from a young age so that they can go through the various developmental processes to differentiate and develop the ability to optimally express themselves as individuals. Here are some tips to help encourage individuality in your twins.