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Grandparenting

Twin grandchildren

(163 Posts)
marypoppins Fri 13-May-11 16:05:57

Hi, I'm a first time, single Grandmother to lovely 14month old twins who are now both toddling.
I look after them twice a week and it is becoming more challenging for me to keep up as they are so active and are starting to be competitive with each other now.
I would love some useful tips from others with twin experience please!

Culbie Thu 31-Jan-13 22:55:08

My daughter had triplet girls at 28 weeks and they obviously had to spend a long time in both intensive care and special care. The girls are fine and about to celebrate their 4th birthday. I was simply another pair of much needed hands during the first year, even in the SCU. I stayed for weeks together and cooked loads of meals, fed babies, changed nappies and helped to keep everyone's sense of humour intact. Hours and hours have been spent reading to them ever since they were tiny, not just at bedtime but once or twice during the day too. They watch virtually no TV just the odd well chosen DVD on rainy days. We find reading books has a calming effect and stimulates their imagination. I collect children's books and so does my daughter. One can get hold of some brilliant children's books on eBay and abebooks for a fraction of the usual price. I put my current favorites in a big box and take it with me when I visit by car.
Another tip is to get just one set of toys out at a time then put them away and try something else when they drift off. Variety is the trick.
Let them watch you doing real things, even if it is just washing up or peeling potatoes. And as soon as it is feasible let them join in, my granddaughter (3) was grating the cheese this evening and my grandson (4) loves cracking eggs! But before they could even sit up we used to put them in their bumbos and perch them of the worktop just to watch - they loved it!
That is enough!

glassortwo Tue 22-Jan-13 20:56:17

Awwww gorgeous smile

Grannylin Tue 22-Jan-13 20:39:45

What a fabulous family you have when! sunshine

Ella46 Tue 22-Jan-13 19:51:19

Gorgeous when sunshine

mrshat Tue 22-Jan-13 19:48:33

They are beautiful when smile

Kali Tue 22-Jan-13 19:37:08

Adorable smile

Movedalot Tue 22-Jan-13 19:10:59

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

soop Tue 22-Jan-13 18:21:58

Special photographs, when...Polly is adorable. smile

janeainsworth Tue 22-Jan-13 18:17:43

Lovely photos When smile

Gally Tue 22-Jan-13 18:16:36

So sweet When - I know how she feels! grin

whenim64 Tue 22-Jan-13 17:57:38

My photos are uploading at last. Just put another on smile

JessM Tue 22-Jan-13 17:49:54

AH lovely boys. Got your hands full with that bundle of fun. grin

whenim64 Tue 22-Jan-13 17:43:14

Just put this lovely photo on my profile of my little grandaughter, who fell asleep whilst jumping up and down for half an hour this morning. smile

london Wed 05-Dec-12 17:19:31

annodomini in them days tiny babies spent three months in icubaters .how things have come on x

annodomini Wed 05-Dec-12 17:14:19

Wow, london, that must have been an anxious time for you.

london Wed 05-Dec-12 17:11:24

am a nana to twins aged 12 .i see them every day .also three grandchildren with in 3 month now aged 23 .my son was 2lb 11 ozs 46 yrs ago x

annodomini Wed 05-Dec-12 17:00:53

Lovely, picturing you under siege from two trainee vandals, when. They are such fun at that age. Wish mine weren't growing up so fast. sad

Ella46 Wed 05-Dec-12 16:45:19

when they are adorable at this age though aren't they? My favourite baby has been with me for two days this week while she recovered from Noro virus, and it has been such a joy.
She has only been sick at night when at home!
We have cuddled and cuddled and I gave her a bath, which was great fun.
I just love her to bits!

Greatnan Wed 05-Dec-12 12:34:49

When, I looked back over the thread - it was one year yesterday since you told us the good news about their weight!
Until I remembered that both your daughters had twins, I was wondering how anyone would cope with two sets of twins so close in age! I found it quite hard to babysit for my first three grandsons, who were born in less than three years (again, two daughters). I know you do sometimes have all four of them at the same time - it makes me tired to think of it. Respect!

whenim64 Wed 05-Dec-12 12:01:00

I'm minding my little grandaughters whilst my daughter is out Christmas shopping. They are like little whirlwinds - disappearing in every direction. The sitting room is like Fort Knox, with two safety gates, and the sofas pushed together to prevent access to Christmas tree and TV. This time last year, I was weeping over them in their incubators. If only I could have looked forward to now - at this rate, they have a future as demolition ball operators - thay have learned to throw with force and several baubles have disappeared off the tree after being hit with building bricks grin

harrigran Sat 27-Oct-12 11:03:56

Enjoy the party when smile

Jodi Sat 27-Oct-12 08:19:45

when enjoy the birthday party and your lovely and precious little girls. grin

whenim64 Sat 27-Oct-12 08:12:43

This time last year, my little grandaughters were born 10 weeks early and scared the life out of us all. Little sugar bag sized mites in high-tech incubators. Well they aren't tiny now! Two happy, healthy little girls who are into everything, playing with their toys, trying to grab the cat and enjoying a busy social life with the family. Today, we're havng a birthday party and they'll enjoy tearing up wrapping paper from the piie of presents waiting for them. I feel so lucky to have these precious grandchildren smile

nanamacatj Fri 22-Jun-12 06:04:28

Beautiful photos, you must be so relieved to see them coming on so well. My DDs twins, 1 of each, had birth weights of 6lb and 7lb, we will be celebrating their 1st birthdays on the 5th July, will post some photos when I work out how smile

Ella46 Thu 21-Jun-12 11:26:46

They are lovely Carol, nice to see them thriving smile