Competitiveness

We have just watched twin it to win it on CBBC about twin girls competing in the dwarf games. Watching them argue and compete against each other made me think about whether they would do as well if they weren't twins and had that natural competitiveness?
My twins are often arguing with each other (and me) over really petty things. They also want to be the best although having said that they have never been upset when the other one has done better, they have been pleased for them. For example Douglas received his silver medal at gym and Harry never did. Harry has gone up a class for swimming.
So although I started this off talking about competitiveness and whether you are more likely to be competitive as a twin, having written the last bit it also makes me wonder if you will also be a better 'sport' because you have also had to be happy for your twin when they have done better?
I wonder how many people who have done well, gone far etc are twins or have a sibling with a very close age gap, so have always had to 'compete' for everything?
How well will my twins do when they want to be the best, even in things like reading!

Going back to how this started I will certainly be watching twin it to win it again, if nothing else to realise that I am not alone in having argumentative twins!

1st day of school photos!

Don't get me wrong it is lovely to see all my friends photos of their children on the first day back at school each year, but the last one I got was on the first day of reception! I've not been able to do another one since. The first day back at school in this household is not one of excitement and joy but one of stress and worry. I have a child who doesn't like change. If he could go back to school with the same teacher he had the previous year in the same class it would be fine. I'd get a photo because he would be happy, instead I have a very stressful first week where he doesn't want to go to school and has to be prized off of me by his teacher at the door. He doesn't like change and can't cope with it. He won't admit that he is scared until we get to school or he is asked if he has any worries, but we can't ask this question too early or we'd never get to school. We can't talk about the return to school too soon or we then have it even worse as it's been built into something even more. So a huge shout out to all those parents who can't get a school photo on the first day back and look enviously and jealously at their friends photos, hitting like but wishing I could have one too.

The oh so perfect Topsy and Tim!

Well, where to start on this one! I really think that this programme gives people a delusional idea of what it is like to have twins, never mind a singleton. How many children would be able to count to 10 and everything be alright having lost a balloon. Most I know would still be upset about it an hour later.

Now todays episode had Topsy getting chicken pox. Nothing wrong with that but I love how the fact that within hours Tim gets them too in exactly the same places as Topsy! When Douglas had chicken pox I spent the entire time closely examining Harry everyday twice a day, and for the entire 2 weeks after Douglas's last spot had gone. But did he get them? No! He still hasn't had them now, about 15 months later. Other twin parents I know of had their twins get them one after the other, so had about 2-3 weeks of not being able to go out. I for one would have loved it if they had them at the same time. Poor Douglas still had to go on the school run.

Don't even get me started on how they seem to have no other identity except that of twins, it's always things like twintastic Topsy etc. What's wrong with them just being Topsy and Tim, twins but also two individuals, with different likes and dislikes?

There are some days that I would love it if mine were as perfect as Topsy and Tim are. No wonder their mum is always so calm!