The Journey of Parenthood…

Staying Mindful While Getting a Lot of Twin Attention

Staying Mindful While Getting a Lot of Twin Attention.

Today is Babywise Friendly Blog Network Day! I’m guest posting over on Chronicles of a Babywise Mom about one of my most passionate topics: car seat safety.

Be sure to check out my post to hear 3 things you may not know about keeping your kids safe in the car!

Kim from Team Cartwright is posting here today about life with twins.

It’s ironic timing of her post because I literally just was the person stopping a mother of twins while at the store a couple days ago.

I talked her head off and probably annoyed her to death as she was trying to run errands while pushing a double stroller with two 3 month old babies. Oops.

Here are some ways mother’s of twins can stay mindful of the attention they are always receiving (and heck, these are good reminders for mama’s who don’t have twins too!).

Twins garner a lot of attention.  It’s understandable. 

There is something fascinating about the idea that two humans came into the world at the same time. 

Babies in general get a lot of attention, so when you double that you get even more people coming over to look at your twins. 

This can be fun.  I mean, what mom doesn’t want to show off her adorable babies? 

But it can get old quickly.  You are out and about just trying to get things done, and people always want to stop to talk to you. 

Sure, it’s great to hear that your babies are cute.  But then some people want to tell you all about any twins they have ever heard of or met in their lives. 

Or people want to ask you really personal invasive questions, like “Did you use fertility treatments?” 

This can get old quickly, but I try to keep calm and polite through these interactions. 

Here are a few ways I try to stay mindful while getting bombarded about my twins:

1) I remember how interested I was in all things twin when I was expecting. 

For all I know some of these people who are talking to me have twins on the way, have twin grandbabies on the way, or know someone who recently had twins. 

I was so aware of twins when I was expecting. 

I had questions and wanted to talk to anyone who might have information for me. 

So basically I stared down any twins I saw. 

I know people aren’t trying to be intrusive or ask inappropriate questions, they just honestly want to know about twins and talk about them.  

2) I remember that I didn’t always know as much about twins as I do now. 

Before the girls were born I thought I had a general understanding of twins and how they come about. 

I had no idea how many different ways twins can be conceived, the different times the embryo can split, or the different ways twins can be set up in the womb. 

I didn’t know the challenges that twins can bring up, or what can be pretty easy after all. 

I mean, until you experience it yourself why would you? 

It is understandable that people might not know much about identical twins, or the prenatal medical care that twin moms often get. 

It makes sense that they haven’t thought of the logistics of carting two little babies around.  I have first-hand knowledge of twins now, I can share what I know.

twin babies - tired of twin attention? how to handle strangers commenting on your twins

Photo by Edwin Ariel Valladares from Pexels

3) I remember how much I like to share my own experiences with other new moms. 

My son is only 3 years old, but I already get a bit nostalgic thinking about when he was a baby. 

I understand the desire to remember his early baby days and all the good parts of them. 

When people stop me to tell me about their twins who are now adults I try to listen appreciatively. 

I know that will be me when the girls are all grown up.

4) I remember people are just trying to help. 

Like a lot of moms, I get frustrated when given unsolicited advice on my babies. 

(Especially when I’m told it will get better.  Why assume things can’t be good in the stage we are in?  They are!) 

Just because someone wants to share a tip with me doesn’t mean I have to follow it. 

And who knows, it might actually be something useful someday!  I try to believe people are just trying to help.  

5) I remember I don’t know other people’s stories. 

Babies are a joy.  They smile sweetly and have the best giggles.  They are little and cute and fun. 

I don’t know what is going on in other people’s lives. 

For all I know, seeing some sweet babies smile could be just the moment of happiness they need on a bad day. 

I get so much joy out of my daughters.  I am happy that other people can find a reason to smile when they see my babies.

It can be easy to get frustrated by all the attention my twins get when we are out. 

I am usually just trying to get our errands done while keeping two babies and a toddler in check. 

But these five things help me remember that the universe isn’t trying to slow me down during my day, and that people aren’t being rude when they want to stop me and see my babies. 

Once the girls are walking it won’t be as noticeable that they are identical twins and I won’t get stopped as much. 

Then it will be me who sees sweet little twins in a stroller and wants to stop them to remember when my babies were that little.

Kim is the mother of a three year old son and twin seven month old daughters.  She blogs at TeamCartwright.blogspot.com

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Emily Parker
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