Raising any child is a challenge, but what happens when they come as a pair? As any parent of multiples will tell you, sometimes talking with another parent who’s been there can get you through the difficult times and help you to cherish the moments that make twins truly "double the love." In this complete guide to raising multiples from infancy through the high-school years, Susan M. Heim, a mother of twins herself, offers the insight and advice that only a mother of multiples can give. "It’s Twins!" arms parents with the information they need, from decisions about breast-feeding versus formula and classroom placement, to dispelling myths about twins and ensuring equal treatment while fostering individuality and combating competitiveness. Best of all, "It’s Twins!" outdoes all those "dry" parenting manuals by offering chatty, bite-size bits of real-world wisdom and experiences from other moms and dads at various stages of twin-rearing, making this guide not just informative but entertaining as well.
What a wonderful gift to be chosen to be the parent of multiples! Parents of twins know their children are a double blessing — but also a double challenge! They treasure their special role in their twins’ lives, but also discover that life takes on an added dimension of upheaval when their kids arrive as a set. These challenges are unique to those in the "multiples club," and therefore standard parenting books are often inadequate to address the needs of families with twins (or more). That’s why this book, "It’s Twins!," is so helpful for parents who are navigating the turbulent waters of parenthood with twins. It offers practical advice and tips, as well as real-life stories, tailored to their own unique family situation. It encourages parents of multiples to really appreciate their very special children, as well as learn how to handle the extra needs that accompany them.
Divided into four sections — Twin Babies, Twin Toddlers and Preschoolers, Twin Kids, and Twin ’Tweens and Teens — this book is chock-full of helpful information for every parent raising multiples. The author, a mother of twins, has collected the best advice and tales from parents of multiples all over the country on topics such as breastfeeding, travel with twins, adjusting to school and encouraging individuality. Plenty of fun topics are addressed, such as birthday planning for twins and teaching sign language. But serious topics are also covered, including coping with disabilities and curbing twin competition. Bonus features include twins trivia and profiles of intriguing twins. Easy-to-read and geared toward busy parents, "It’s Twins!" will inspire the parents of multiples to treasure their little miracles and hang in there when times are tough. Journal questions also encourage parents to record their own special moments and memories in living life with twins.
"It’s Twins!" is the "go-to guide" for all parents of multiples, whether they’re brand-new parents, racing after toddlers, having fun with school-aged kids or raising adolescent twins. With lots of common sense, humor and parental input, this book is sure to put the fun and love back into the ever-challenging role of raising twins!
Excerpt
Foreword by Vonetta Flowers, Olympic Gold Medalist and Mother of Twins
Professional Reviews
Library Journal
Writing in a humorous, take-no-prisoners style, mother-of-twins Heim (coauthor, "Oh, Baby!: 7 Ways a Baby Will Change Your Life the First Year") arranges her book into four sections: "Babies," "Toddlers and Preschoolers," "Kids," "Tweens and Teens." Each section contains practical, thoughtful, and often hilarious contributions (e.g., "The Public Puke") by various writers, none famous but all good at spinning a yarn. There are trivia nuggets (no, twins don't skip a generation) as well as realistic, applicable tips that only a parent of multiples could possibly appreciate (e.g., tandem breastfeeding, telling identical twins apart, tag-team sleeping, mischievousness and conspiracies, when/if to separate twins in classrooms). Book club-style follow-up questions, "Points To Ponder," are designed to encourage reflection and perspective and work surprisingly well. Never sugarcoating the difficulties, Heim, a former senior editor for the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series, has taken a similar approach here but added more meat. Her winning book will make a worthy addition to the wimpy selection of materials on parenting multiples. Equally applicable to those expecting and experiencing twins; highly recommended for all parenting collections.
Twins Magazine
It's been a busy year for editor and author Susan Heim. First, her book, "Twice the Love: Stories of Inspiration for Families with Twins, Multiples and Singletons," was published by TWINS™ Magazine. This March, her latest book, "It's Twins! Parent-to-Parent Advice From Infancy Through Adolescence," was released by Hampton Roads Publishing Company. The mother of three-year-old twins and a former senior editor for the publishing company behind the phenomenal "Chicken Soup for the Soul" book series, Heim offers parents practical, heartfelt advice and suggestions from her own experience in raising twins. She also includes voices of other practiced parents who have successfully navigated the often-turbulent waters of twin parenthood. Guided questions Heim calls "Points to Ponder" offer the reader frequent opportunities to consider what has been learned and how to apply the knowledge to their own family. Helpful, quick tips, twin trivia and interesting facts makes "It's Twins!" is a pleasurable reading experience that will entertain, as well as teach and guide through example. Pat Williams, the Senior Vice President of the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic and a parent of 19 children (including a set of twins), says of "It's Twins!": "Whether raising twins, triplets or more, every parent of multiples will find splendid advice and wonderful encouragement in this book."
NOMOTC Notebook
Here is a book that actually tells it like it is for parents of multiples! The author acknowledges two important facts: Only another parent of multiples really knows and understands what each of us experiences! Parents of multiples do not have an abundance of free time to read long texts that are often too dry and too much like textbooks. Ms. Heim has divided her book into sections to help save time. The four parts include Babies (0-1), Toddlers/Preschool (2-4), Kids (5-11), and Tweens/Teens (12-17). Each section also contains twin tales, twin tips, intriguing twins, twin trivia, and points to ponder, so each step of the way, readers find advice and validation of their parenting trials and more importantly, their skills! Through the words of those who really know and understand, readers find an instant connection. The author is a woman who knows; she was the mom of two singletons when her twins were born. I found instant camaraderie! I love the twin tale about grocery shopping with toddler twins; it brought memories rushing to mind. I can also relate to the tale of the middle-aged mother of multiples, the decrease in short-term memory has definitely reared its head at our house. Readers will find realistic, supportive advice and encouragement without guilt in Ms. Heim's work. Advice such as learning to accept less than perfection in our lives rings true: learning to put the children first and the house second allows us to lead considerably less stressful lives. Do what you can and don't stress about the rest--great advice! Parents of multiples will find an abundance of situations to relate to their own family experiences. This book is filled with interesting and oh-so-relatable circumstances that occur in the lives of multiples. A fun and realistic look at raising multiples, this book reassures each of us that we are truly all in this together.
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