bestoftwins, Author at The Best of Twins

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Must-Have Double Stroller Accessories

Jul 152013

When you’re raising twins, the double stroller is more than just another piece of baby gear. It’s your mobile base camp and center of operations. Any time that we plan an outing, from a walk around the block to a seven-day road trip, choosing the right stroller is the first and most important decision. Tandem or double-wide? Do we need a cupholder? How much storage?

The problem is that there’s no perfect double stroller, a conclusion we’ve reached by owning three of them simultaneously. To get everything we need, we take advantage of a few must-have double stroller accessories.
Contents:
Stroller Organizers
Hooks, Toy Leashes, and Sippy Grips
Sun, Rain, and Bug Shields

Stroller Organizers

In my book, you can never have enough storage and cup holders when you’re going somewhere with kids. We like to stash the keys, garage door opener, cell phones, pacifiers, toys, sippy cups, and other things, but it seems like there’s never enough space. Enter these super-convenient stroller organizers.

Britax Stroller Organizer

This stroller organizer gives you two cup holders, a large middle compartment, and several smaller outer pockets for plenty of extra storage. It has an internal frame, which provides a solid structure and makes it easier get things in and out of the cup holders.

Features:	• Adjustable straps to fit most strollers securely • Collapsible so it folds up with stroller • Large middle compartment with magnetic closure
Reviews:

Diono Buggy Buddy Stroller Organizer

The Buggy Buddy is another popular option. Key feature: it’s insulated, to keep drinks and food cool. An internal metal frame and four velcro attachment straps make this a solid choice for most tandem strollers.

Features:	• Insulated cargo bin helps keep food items cool • Designed to fit most strollers • Waterproof construction prevents leaks
Reviews:

Stroller Hooks, Toy Leashes, and Bottle/Cup Grippers

Anchoring important things to the stroller is the key to not losing everything when you’re out and about with twins. Hooks, secure-a-toy straps, and sippy cup grips help us parents of multiples hold it all together (literally and figuratively!).

Hook ‘n’ Stroll Stroller Accessory

When you’re pushing a stroller, you often don’t have a hand free to hold your purse, diaper bag, or shopping bags. These hooks are the perfect stroller accessory because they’re small, compact, and make a HUGE difference.

Features:	• Each hook swivels 360 degrees • Easy on/off with velcro straps • Hooks together hold 11 pounds
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Baby Buddy Secure-A-Toy

It is a basic rule of life that anything you give a baby, he or she will soon throw. That’s why these secure-a-toy straps are so handy as a stroller or high chair accessory. They snap on, and hold fast any toys, animals, or teethers your baby might need.

Features:	• Snaps easily to car seats, strollers and high chairs • Machine-washable with adjustable length • Come in two packs (one for each twin) and various colors • Actually made in the U.S.A.
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Booginhead SippiGrip – Universal Sippy Cup Grip

Nothing is more frustrating than seeing a freshly made bottle or sippy cup full of warm milk dropped on the ground, or worse, the floor of a public restroom. The Booginhead securely holds a sippy cup or bottle on a sort of leash to prevent this from happening.

Features:	• Rubberized on the inside of the loop that attaches to cup or bottle. • Adjustable length to fit strollers high chairs, etc. • Washable, durable and non-toxic
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Sun, Rain, and Bug Shields

Nature’s a rough place for babies, and while strollers often include a shade or awning, it’s rarely enough. Deck yours out with these shields for sun, rain, and bug protection.

Protect-a-Bub Classic Stroller Sunshade

This stroller accessory was my inspiration for this entire article. It’s sun shade for canopied double strollers to provide excellent sun and rain protection. The fabric is rated UPF50, the highest rating available, but specially woven to dissipate heat. What I like is that it provides your little ones with complete visibility while protecting them from the sun’s heat and glare.

Features:	• Attaches to any canopied stroller or carriage • Specially woven breathable fabric • Folds easily away for storage in matching bag
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Jeep Tandem Stroller Weather Shield

Here’s something to tuck away for a really rainy day: an all-weather shield for your double stroller. This one, made by Jeep, accommodates most tandem strollers and protects against rain, snow, and wind chill. It’s not such a heavy plastic that you can’t fold it up for storage, either, which sets this one apart from other weather shields.

Features:	• Small outer pocket for storage • Protects from extreme weather • Storage bag included
Reviews:

Jeep Double Stroller Netting

Sun and rain aren’t the only outdoor hazard to protect your twins from. When the bugs get bad, a double stroller netting accessory is essential. This one, also made by Jeep, fits most double strollers and protects your twins from mosquitoes and other pests. Bonus: it also keeps strangers from touching your little ones when you’re out in public.

Features:	• Fits most side-by-side and tandem strollers • Protects from mosquitoes and biting insects • Includes a storage bag
Reviews:

Twin Babies Talking

Life With Twins No Responses »

Jul 102013

Image Credit: ankurp on Flickr

Twin talk has always fascinated me, and when we had twins I wondered if they might develop their own secret language. Like many, I first learned about twin talk from the movie Nell, but later I met actual twins who had had their own communication when younger. I met a girl whose twin brother didn’t learn to speak for the first few years of life — he communicated by whistling, she understood, and she communicated what he wanted to say to their parents.

Research on Twin Talk

So I did a bit of research on twin talk, also known as cryptophasia. Though there has been some interest in studying it, especially in a handful of twin sets, little is known. As many as 50% of twins have some form of private communication, according to some estimates. It turns out that the Hollywood version of it — where twins develop their own complete language that no one else understands — is fairly rare. It’s also associated with cases of extreme isolation, which generally isn’t a good thing.

More commonly, twin talk is simply the partial development of speech where siblings can’t quite speak correctly, but they understand one another quite well. Often this is driven by the speech limitations of young children. They can’t form the sounds required for many useful words, so they develop their own.

Twins Learning to Talk

My boys recently turned two, and again I’m amazed at how quickly toddlers learn to talk. This time it’s especially interesting because I’m watching two little ones learning different words at different times.

As was the case with our daughter, most of their first words were people’s names: mommy, daddy, gagi (grandma) and paw-paw (grandpa). Right now they have a spoken vocabulary of about 30-50 words, but they make a number of sounds with clear meanings that we haven’t yet deciphered. I really wish I knew what they’re saying sometimes!

Two Important Words: Yes and No

It’s clear that our twins understand a great deal more than they can actually say. They pick up on so much, whether we’re talking to them or to one another. In particular, they seem to recognize keywords that are near and dear to their hearts, like:

“Snack” which causes them to run to the pantry, yelling “Nak!”
“Grandma” or “Grandpa” which often induces a dash to the front window.

The twins also seem to understand questions like “where is your cup?” and “who hit you?” So we’ve recently focused on teaching them to say Yes or No. Amusingly, the older twin has recently adopted “Yeah” and says it all the time, which is pretty useful. His younger brother prefers to nod his head, which is super-cute. Previously both of them used to sort of laugh to give an affirmative.

In any case, getting a yes-or-no answer out of your toddler can be incredibly useful. We use it to find out what they want (or don’t want) or why they’re crying.

Encouraging Speech and Communication

Teaching our twins to talk is not very different from teaching our daughter. Some words they seem to pick up on their own, while others they master when we engage with them and ask them to try to say things. Unsurprisingly, they’re not always cooperative. Finding the right moment to have them practice words is important. For us, that has been:

During diaper changes, because it’s usually one-on-one time and I have most of their attention
At mealtimes or in the car, because they’re fastened to a seat and don’t have anywhere else to go
In front of an audience they’d like to impress (usually grandparents) because they try to show off

Interestingly, we’ve made a renewed effort to read the boys books, especially at bedtime, and I think it’s helping. A couple of months ago you couldn’t get them to sit still for more than two pages, so we sort of gave up. Now that they seem to enjoy reading books with us, we can teach them new words (point to something and say “frog”) and test their comprehension (by asking “where’s the frog?”).

Videos of Twins Talking

YouTube has an impressive collection of videos in which twins are talking, or trying to. Perhaps the most famous of these is the video featured on the Ellen Show of two diapered twins chatting it up in the kitchen:

Another favorite of mine is this video of identical twin boys having a conversation – especially cute because they are dressed alike:

What’s Your Experience with Twin Talk?

Since most of you readers have (or are) twins, I’m wondering what experience you might have with twin talk. Please leave a comment and share! Also, if you have a favorite twin video on YouTube, send me the link (author at bestoftwins dot com) and I’ll try to get it added.

Educational Wooden Toys for Toddlers

Toys for Twins No Responses »

Jun 162013

We live in a modern world, one in which many cherished traditions are left behind. And while I love all of our musical, flashy, attention-keeping toys as much as the next parent, there’s something to be said for the classics. I’m talking about solid wood. The simpler, sturdier toys of our own childhoods are hard to find these days. And for my little ones, I want more than just a toy, I want something that’s educational.

Wooden Blocks for Toddlers

Nothing represents the classic child’s toy better than wooden blocks. Now I love the plastic blocks for toddlers, of course. They’re a staple of our play time every day. But wooden blocks bring a certain nostalgia and have limitless potential for entertainment. With letters and numbers, wooden blocks also become an educational toy.

The best all-around wooden blocks for toddlers that I’ve seen are the ABC-123 Wooden Blocks by Melissa & Doug. They feature:

50 hand-painted, traditionally styled wooden blocks
Solid wood with colorful pictures, letters, and numbers
Use for stacking, sorting, and matching

Toddler Block Activities

Here are some ideas from Melissa & Doug and yours truly on how you can encourage your toddler to play and learn with blocks.

Tall stacks. Build a tower as tall as you can, counting each block as it’s added.
Copy me. You build a shape with some blocks, and have your toddler copy it.
Picture this. Give your toddler a block, and ask him/her to find a certain image on it. Good for vocab!
First letter. You point to the picture, and ask your toddler what letter the word starts with
Spelling practice. Have your toddler spell simple words and his/her name.

Shape sorter (Melissa & Doug)

Shape Sorting Toddler Toys

Another important developmental skill (according to our pediatrician, who’s very tuned in to these things) is shape sorting and recognition. This exercise screams for an educational wooden toy like the Shape Sorting Cube by Melissa & Doug.

Why? Because it feels like a serious game, and makes a satisfying clunk when your child drops a shape piece through the correct hole. This one includes twelve unique shapes (square, triangle, circle, clover, trapezoid, oval, diamond, octagon, star, and others) and a lid that your toddler can lift up to dump them out and play again.

Plan Toy sorting board

Another option is the award-winning Plan Toy Geometric Sorting Board. This has four colorful geometric shapes that can be stacked together based on the number of holes in each one. Circles have one hole, rectangles two, triangles three, squares four. The pegboard is about 7″ wide.

What I like about this board is that, like the shape sorting cube, it’s a problem solving toy. The holes are also just the right size for a toddler’s finger, so they have fun playing with the colorful shapes themselves.

Engaging Educational Toys

M&D Caterpillar Gears

We recently took a family vacation “up north” and rented a house on a small lake. One of the reasons we love this house is that it’s intended for families with small children: reasonably babyproof and with plenty of toys included. One of our favorite toys was a sort of gear works: a flat board with several drilled holes, into which you could plug a bunch of round gears. There was a crank handle that fit on top of any gear, so once you had them all set up (interlocking), you crank one gear and they all turn.

Turns out, there’s a very similar (and inexpensive) toy called the Caterpillar Gears by Melissa & Doug. The base is a wooden, curvy caterpillar (with legs painted on) and when you plug in the hard plastic composite gears, you can turn any one of them to make all of them spin, causing the caterpillar to “move”. You don’t need a crank, which I like, because the small crank piece at the lakehouse was often missing.

You can rearrange the gears, a process that toddlers seem to enjoy. They’re colorful and chunky and rather easy to plug in.

Plan Toy Punch & Drop

Another option for an engaging educational toy is the Plan Toy Punch & Drop. Your toddler hammers round balls through the holes in the top; once they go in they roll back to the ball return. A wooden box, three balls, and pounding mallet are included. Notice how the natural wood box is dovetailed; that speaks to handmade, quality craftsmanship.

This hammering practice is useful because it helps your toddler practice aim and hand-eye coordination (just make sure they don’t start hammering on their siblings with it). The great part about this toy is that it’s self-renewing: any time a ball is hammered through, it comes out the ball return. Thus your toddler entertains himself or herself for a while, giving you a few minutes to yourself.

Traveling with Twins, Part II

Life With Twins No Responses »

Jun 112013

Original image credit: bhenak

A few months ago, I posted an article with 12 toddler travel tips inspired by our first few summer road trips with the twins. In part, I was also ramping up for the big show — loading up the whole family for a week-long vacation up north. My four-year-old girl and twin 2-year-old boys were quick to teach me many more lessons about traveling with toddlers: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

So if you’re gearing up for a road trip with the little ones in tow, here are some things to keep in mind.

Loading the Car

We spent the weeks before the trip drawing up the battle plans. Our minivan is set up for twins so everyone has an assigned seat. The minivan got an oil change, wash, and vacuum. Half of the stuff we packed wasn’t for our actual vacation, it was for the drive there and back:

Toys, books, games, and pocket-sized stuffed animals.
Favorite movies on DVD for the built-in player.
Cookies, fruit snacks, crackers, bite size muffins, and other snacks.
Nifty Nabber Tool

My nifty nabber tool, used to retrieve fallen toys and pass things to the back seat

Packing for the Kids

As an adult, packing for yourself is hard enough, but planning out a week-long trip for your kids can be brutal. They use so many things they use on a day-to-day basis! When you start to think about it, the gear really begins to pile up:

Clothes, shoes, socks, hats, jackets, boots, and other things they wear. Make sure it fits!
Eating & drinking utensils: bottles, nipples, and caps, sippy cups, or snack bowls.
Diapers and wipes enough to last the whole trip, and then some.
Sunscreen and insect repellent
High chair covers, since we’ll probably be dining out with the kids a lot

Travel Cribs for Sleeping

Graco Travel Play Yard

One important consideration that we tried to plan for was the sleeping arrangements. We rented a hotel room on the way up and back, to help break up the drive. Hotels are kind of funny about baby cribs: sometimes you can reserve them, but they’re limited in number and not guaranteed. It’s almost like they don’t want babies staying in the hotel.

To address this, we bring our own pack-n-plays for the twins. They’re similar to a crib, quick to set up, and most importantly, we know where they’ve been. There are also good portable travel cribs that will give your baby a safe, clean place to sleep.

We also pack all of the little touches that make them feel like they’re going to bed at home:

Blankets. I cringe at the idea of taking them on the road, but the kids love them.
Music box. We have a couple of small, portable wind-up ones for a lullaby
Night lights. Another small touch, and they can double as an outlet cover.

Babyproofing on Vacation

It’s wonderful to take your little ones out into the world and let them see new places. Unfortunately, most of those places aren’t babyproofed. Remember, too, that you’ll probably be out of your comfort zone — a rental house or unfamiliar hotel — and that increases the risk of bad things happening.

We bring some of our favorite babyproofing items with us, most notably door knob covers and a baby gate. These limit where the little ones can and can’t go, which (for us) is the most important safety precaution. We also bring life jackets whenever we’ll be going somewhere with a lake or pool.

Outlet covers, too, are a good idea because the world is just full of electrical outlets and my little ones never fail to pick up on that.

Most Importantly, When Traveling with Twins

Take pictures. Ride carousels. Point out airplanes and boats and big trucks. Eat at new places, especially ice cream parlors. Tip well because you’ll probably leave a mess behind. Don’t forget about naps; your kids will still need them.

And when they’re all safely asleep, enjoy a few moments of peace with your partner-in-parenting. You’ve earned it!

Summer Safety for Families

Life With Twins No Responses »

May 272013

Summer offers myriad opportunities to let your little ones enjoy the outdoors. Parks, backyards, family road trips, and even screened-in porches are great place to let them burn off that seemingly-endless energy while you relax in the shade. And yet, summer has its perils as well.

Unleashing the little krakens outdoors might seem harmless. Keeping them safe, however, can tough just because there’s so much to be vigilant about. I’m sensitive to this because I have twin boys. Twice as many babies to watch, twice as much sunscreen to put on, twice as many buckles to fasten.Here are my five important areas of summer safety for families with twins and multiples.

Sun Safety

The sun is one of the first things I think about when it comes to summer safety. Some people take this seriously, some don’t, but everyone certainly should. Babies have perfect, soft, tender skin and you should help them keep it that way!

Newborns under 3 months old should not need sunscreen, because you should never have them in direct sunlight!
For older babies and toddlers, sun protection is critical between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., even if it’s cloudy. UV light still comes through.
High-SPF sunscreen should be only the last line of defense. Use umbrellas, awnings, hats, and other sun-blockers to keep your little ones out of direct sunlight whenever possible.

Water Safety

Summer often finds families around pools, lakes, ponds, fountains, and other sources of water. Drowning is a very real danger, and especially tragic because it’s preventable. For some reason, many boaters, swimmers, and beachgoers seem ignorant of basic water safety. It’s silly. Being safe is the first priority, especially for families with young children.

Double-check fences, sliding glass doors, and other measures designed to keep kids away from pools, ponds, and other hazards.
Maintain constant vigilance when supervising your children in and around water. Don’t drink, don’t get distracted by socializing or fishing or games of washers.
Be cautious with water wings, swim rings, and other flotation toys when in the pool. They’re fun but they also give children false confidence.
If you’re around lakes, ponds, or oceans, put each child in a properly sized life jacket approved by the U.S. Coast Guard. It’s just as important for the shoreline as it is for boating.
Take your kids to swim lessons. It’s well worth the time and cost when your child can swim on his or her own.

Last but not least, you should make sure everyone in the family is educated about water safety… this includes not just your little ones, but their grandparents and other caregivers.

Bug Safety

Summer is, unfortunately, also the heyday for mosquitoes, ticks, and other bugs that prey on humans. Mosquitoes are bad already in some parts of our home town — especially near rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water — even during the middle of the day. Here are some ways to keep the bugs at bay.

Smart clothing. If bugs are bad, lightweight long sleeves and pants will help keep some away from your babies’ skin, but only so much.
Avoidance. The most effective key to bug prevention is to avoid the places and times when they’re most active. For mosquitoes, it’s near foliage (trees and bushes) in the late afternoon and evening. For ticks it’s long grass and brush, just about all day long.
Bug repellent. If your pediatrician has given the approval, bug repellent is a good idea. Some people are concerned about putting harsh chemicals on their little ones, but I personally prefer DEET to West Nile Virus and other things that bugs can carry.
Smoke and fog. You can also try mosquito coils or aerosol foggers to keep bugs away from the yard when your kids are playing. I don’t think these are 100% effective but they do help.

Car Safety

I read recently that car accidents are the #1 killer of young children in the U.S., and I believe it. You can’t always prevent a car accident, but you can make sure that you’ve done everything possible to keep them safe:

Choose good car seats for your twins that are safety-tested and age-appropriate.
Keep your children rear-facing as long as possible, but at least 1 year
Never put your baby in a seat that has an air bag.
See this article on car seat installation tips to make sure you get it right.
Ensure that straps are properly fastened/tightened each and every time you get in the car. You know that plastic buckle? It’s supposed to be chest-high and snug against the baby.

Park Safety

Parks are a wonderful resource for families with small children, and we’re lucky to have them. Still, they are different from your home and backyard in that you don’t control them. I hope that you enjoy our parks but also take extra precautions to keep your family safe from hazards like these:

Strangers. The obvious initial concern in any public place is, you know, the public. Personal safety is a must, especially when you have small children in tow. Always be aware of your surroundings! Stay in well-traveled, public areas where others are in shouting distance.
Animals. Parks can be pretty wild places, home to all kinds of critters that could cause harm for your child. Even relatively small animals (possum, raccoons) can be dangerous, especially if they’re rearing young ones of their own. There are snakes, too, but one thing you really need to watch out for is other people’s dogs. Your child is 29 times more likely to be attacked by a dog than bitten by a poisonous snake in the U.S.
Plants. Kids will put anything in their mouths, which one concern. But what I really dread in parks is contact with poison ivy, oak, or sumac. Make sure you know how to recognize these plants if they’re in your area. Leaves of three, let it be. Better yet, don’t let your kids touch any plants at all.
Dangerous geography. The natural world is an unsafe place for babies and toddlers. Cliffs, sharp rocks, steep ravines, and other dangerous spots cause injury and death every year. Just make sure you know the park well or talk to a ranger about any possible hazards before you go.

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