'You've got your hands full'

Some great resources for families with twins, triplets or more

 

THIS is a cross-post from Ready for Ten, where I'm editor and where lots of marvellous bloggers write about life with kids aged six to nine.

We have a twice weekly 'best of the web' post and this week one of these has been about multiple birth families. I hope you find some of the links here useful and that you can check out the bloggers mentioned and perhaps add any details of who I've missed.

I also hope you can check out Ready for Ten in general as it's a lively fun site with some great writing from the likes of Deb, Rosie, Ellen, Liz, Joanne, lovely Jo, Ian, another lovely Jo, Tim, Maggie, Kath, Alice, Cathy, Keris, Camilla, Ursula, Jane and Jan.  

BBC Coventry and Warwickshire radio interview about twins

A FEW weeks back I was interviewed by Mark Powlett on BBC Coventry and Warwickshire about twins.

Our chat touched on the following among other things and I hope you enjoy it:

• A unique bond between twins
• Sibling rivalry
• Do you dress twins the same?
• Should they be in the same class at school?
• How does a twin pregnancy compare to a singleton one?
• My crap maths

I know I sound a bit "eccentric" which is of course a polite way of saying well, a bit strange, but then I always do on the radio. I don't care as I've got used to it!

Press on the button below to hear the interview.

Massive thanks to producer Kate for sending me the MP3.

Twins and secondary school

IN a few weeks' time, my daughters will start secondary school.

They are definitely in different classes and there's a chance they won't be in the same groups for subjects where pupils are streamed.

I like it that way.

At the introductory parents' evening, my girls' new teachers made encouraging noises about recognising that every child is an individual.

Did you know that according to experts, twins -- and triplets, quads and any "higher multiples" you care to mention for that matter -- are deserving of special consideration in the classroom?

Twins, Triplets and More week 2010: Guest posts, blog tour and carnival

I SET up this blog to offer information and support for parents and carers of twins, triplets and more. Years on, people searching for help with post natal depression still find us and I'm touched that I can be of help.

I've also a longstanding association with Tamba, the Twins and Multiple Births Association, being a member and former magazine editor and PR helper.

That's why when the hardworking people at the charity got in touch to tell me about their annual awareness bid, Twins, Triplets & More week, and the fact that they want to publicise free help for multiple mums, I thought it would be great to spread the word.

It runs from Monday, June 28.

How have you got on with SATs?

THIS week, my daughters, who are in Year six, took their SATs.

 

Despite all the discussion about how stressful a time this can be, I somehow thought my girls -- who are laid back, hardy little souls -- would sail through. I don't mean in terms of their academic ability (which I won't discuss thank you very much) but how tough they would find it to actually get on and do. I naively thought it would be a breeze.

 

Off they went to school on Monday, as relaxed as they could be, with my words to "just do your best, you know we love you," ringing in their ears. They had the best packed lunch ever and were mildly excited by the prospect of a free bacon sandwich on offer when they arrived.

 

Parenting, relationships and health: Various features

I'M a former editor of Tamba's Twins, Triplets & More magazine and have written for various newspapers, magazines and websites. 

My blog You've got your hands full has received lovely feedback from parents, as well as being featured by publications including The Times Online and The Telegraph.

Young at heart photo album: A girly swot with bottle green knickers

I HAD such a lovely photo lined up for this, all chubby cheeks and cute smile, the image of one of my daughters now.

Honest I did.

But it's 30 miles away - in a drawer probably with a picture of Wham and a Smash Hits annual.

Career focus: Fun sessions are music to Cathie's ears

Cathie Flynn, far left, and fellow Musical Minis franchisees.

IF your children are still very young, you may be wondering if the day will ever come when you will return to work and not feel totally frazzled. In the first of an occasional series, mum of 10-year-old twins, Cathie Flynn, explains how she found a career path that fitted in perfectly with family life - and brings lots of laughter too...

Cathie is a franchisee for Musical Minis.*

This is a nationwide network of music sessions for babies and toddlers and each 45-minute session introduces music and percussion, concentrating on rhythm, song, sound and movement. A "world of music" is introduced to the children - from classical to modern, to encourage language development and improved co-ordination.

"Best of all," says Cathie, "it's great fun."

Schools admissions process 'badly letting down' multiple birth children - new campaign launched

TAMBA has launched a campaign to stop twins being sent to different schools - saying this traumatises children and places an enormous burden on the parents.

They are calling for the schools admission code to be changed to recognise the needs of families with twins, triplets or more. They are also calling for appeals committees to be given training to be made more aware of those needs.

Tamba says multiple birth families encounter a range of problems when applying for primary school places which appear to be exacerbated by maximum class size legislation.

Red tape forces more twins to go to different schools

I JUST don't get how this can happen. Another mum is protesting that her twins have been sent to different schools. Obviously she is supposed to split herself in half when it comes to taking them and picking them up.

And this time, the mum, Nina Phoenix, says it has caused the children to suffer in more ways than one.

Her daughter Summer Rose was accepted at one school while brother Lawrence couldn't get in.

You can read a fuller report in the Manchester Evening News.

Related posts: Mum campaigns for change in admissions process

Don't send our children to different schools