Stay Connected

Parenting 4 month-old twins does not leave one with much free time. Add in other kids, work, maintaining a household, and finding time to eat/sleep/exercise properly, and not much time remains to maintain friendships let alone seek new ones. Yet maintaining those social lifelines, as well as making new connections with other parents of infant multiples, can be rejuvenating. When our twins were younger, the last thing I thought I had time for was attending my local parents of multiples club's monthly meetings- yet somehow when able to swing it, was so grateful I did. There is something instantly comforting about sitting in a room full of people who GET IT. Sharing tricks, tips and ideas, and just plain venting about the twin parenting experience can be downright soothing for your soul. If others' multiples are yours' ages, you can live through the experience together. If their kids are older, they can share some wisdom with you; if younger, you can share your experiences and what you have learned (helping you realize how quickly time is really passing, and how far you have come; ie. this too shall pass).

Speaking of social networking, I strongly suggest connecting online with your local multiples group. There are several public groups (watch for the "globe" icon which indicates anyone can read the comment), but many groups have a private forum to post questions and suggestions, making it even easier to stay connected even if unable to leave the house for a meeting. I'll be posting more content on our Facebook page at facebook.com/raisingtwins as the format easily lends itself to quick links and updates, so be sure to look for Raising Twins online. To find a local multiples group in your geographic area, check out http://www.nomotc.org/. There is a search bar to look specifically by city or zip code.

A parenting resource for media-related questions

Wondering if Spielberg's Lincoln movie is appropriate for your child? Bookmark this link- commonsensemedia.org is an excellent resource for these sorts of questions. Action movie-themed toys are often marketed to younger children, however the movie itself may not actually be appropriate for the same-aged kids; this website can help parents make informed choices.

New parenting resources for the "smartphone era" (Part 2 of 2)

We busy parents of multiples need all the help we can get! In this spirit I present to you the 2nd post in a 2-part update of new parenting resources that take advantage of current technology.

HealthyChildren.org is the official parenting website of the American Academy of Pediatrics. If your child has a mild illness or minor injury, the website's KidsDoc Symptom Checker tool can help you decide what level of care is needed, and how to provide symptom relief for minor issues you can manage on your own. A KidsDoc Symptom Checker app is available for smartphones as well. Remember that no website or app can replace the medical care and advice of your health care provider– always address specific questions about your child’s health with your pediatrician, and in an emergency situation, call 911 immediately. For those situations in which you are unsure if you should call your doctor or not, the Symptom Checker is a useful tool to help you make an appropriate decision for your child.

New parenting resources for the "smartphone era" (Part 1 of 2)

Technology marches forward, and with the popularity of social networking and smartphone "apps" come new parenting resources that can help keep your kids healthy and well-cared for. This week I'll be posting information on two relatively new resources with time-tested reliable advice with feedback from, and the support of, the American Academy of Pediatrics.

"Text4baby" is a free mobile service designed to provide pregnant women and new parents information on maintaining healthy pregnancies and babies, provided by the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition. Parents can sign up for the service by texting BABY (or BEBE for Spanish) to 511411 to receive 3 free SMS text messages each week, timed to their due date or baby’s date of birth. A helpful way to get reliable advice while on the go. Check out their website at text4baby.org, their Facebook page, or the video below for more information.