My twins are NOT the same people.

In any way.
On any day.
They’re just not.
And that’s 100% totally and completely ok.
It took me a while to realize that.

It’s our job as parents to recognize their differences and treat them as such.

They don’t look alike, that’s obvious.
They actually don’t even look like brothers.
Braylon is tall, blonde, blue eyes, fair skinned, very muscular. He resembles my side of the family.
Braxton is petite, brunette, green eyes, sun kissed skin and has an exact replica of his daddy’s face.

But more importantly, they don’t act alike. They don’t have the same interests.
They don’t have the same strengths.
They don’t have the same weaknesses.
They don’t respond the same to situations.
They don’t even have the same friends.

For a long time I dressed them alike.
Then one day I decided to stop.
Because they aren’t the same person.
They’re 8 1/2 now.

Braylon spent the day today watching NFL games, throwing a football, and playing sports video games with his dad while yelling at the tv. He is hard headed, loud, competitive and argumentative. He is left handed.

Braxton was elated to get out his science kit, search for jewels in a fake sand block and create a mini volcano. Then he watched a few shows about fishing and collecting rocks. He is sensitive, caring, persistent and interested in learning new things. He is right handed.

I learned a long time ago as I watched these two amazing little boys start to grow into two very different people with individual personalities that I was doing them a disservice as a mom not to recognize and nurture that.

I never refer to them as “the twins.”
I don’t communicate with them in the same way.
I don’t show affection to them in the same way.
I make sure to cultivate one on one time with each of them.

This doesn’t just apply to twins (our youngest is totally different from his brothers too) but it especially applies to twins.

Just because they grew in my belly at the same time doesn’t mean they came out the same person.

I’m a better mom for knowing them as individual people. It allows me to support and care for them the way that serves them best.

I’m proud of all 3 of my sons. I am especially proud of the two older ones for recognizing they don’t have to be the same simply because they share a birthday.

Twins are cool.
My twins are cool.
The fact that they’re different is even cooler.

Love & Hugs,

Nicki, Momming all the Boys

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