chpt 7 Putting It Into Practice 4-2

TWINS
There are very few resources about Montessori for twins. However, parents who have come to Simone’s classes with twins have found that the Montessori approach is invaluable, with the biggest advantage being the children become more independent as they grow. With two of them at the same age, this is priceless.


Some suggestions for twins are:


• treating each child as unique, for example, looking at their needs individually and calling them by their names rather than “the twins”


• setting up the home so the babies can explore as independently as possible


• involving children in daily life and slowly building skills so they can manage steps for themselves


• sharing by taking turns—rather than having two of every toy in the home, the babies learn to take turns or become creative in finding a way to play together


• it’s possible to breastfeed twins simultaneously, and it’s okay if that is not manageable for us


• when we are busy with one twin, we can tell the other that we’ll be available soon—they learn that when their turn comes, they will have their needs met


• after they can sit without support, they can enjoy sitting opposite each other while eating at a weaning table; look for chairs with arms that will keep them tucked in against the table and low seats so their feet can be flat on the floor


BOOK RECOMMENDATION


For those with twins, Raising Your Twins: Real Life Tips on Parenting Your Children with Ease by Stephanie Woo is written by a Montessori-trained parent of twins.