messing with preschoolers

[orangerful]

Just finished up my preschool storytime this morning. One of the things I like to do when it comes to the craft is keep it really freeform and open, giving me a chance to talk to all the kids one-on-one for a bit.

ANYWAY, today I had identical twin girls who Mom (or maybe the Au Pair/Nanny) decided to dress in matching outfits today and do their hair the same. I feel like if I was an identical twin, I would not like this, but whatever.

So I walk over and approached the one little girl (I deduce that her name is Lily because someone has written it on her artwork for her) and start to talk to her. She just kinda looks at me and slowly speaks a few words. Before she can finish her sentence, the other twin jumps in, talking loudly and very quickly, pointing at all the things on her paper, telling me everything. I acknowledge her then go back to trying to listen to Lily. Lily seems a bit surprised that I am paying any attention to her, and her sister is still yammering on in my ear. Finally, I looked at Lily and said "Do you know this girl?" and pointed to her sister.

Her face, omg, I wish I had a camera at that moment because you could tell this question had never been asked and it blew her mind. LOL.

Then the nanny tried to help out and give the sister some focus, she asked "what is your name?" and she was all "Piper Madeline" and then she asked "How old are you?" and she said "THREE!" and then I looked at Lily and said "How old are you?" which made her kind of smile and she *started* to say something but then Piper started talking again! I gave Lily a kind of look and AGAIN HER FACE! Even as a three year old, Lily has already perfected the "Yes, this is my life" face as her sister babbled on and on in my ear about who knows what.

Also, I had two people ask me today if I had kids because my storytime was so good. I told them I just hang out with them a lot and also drink dunkin donuts coffee. :P

Comments

[jerusha]

LOL! My cousin has twin girls, and one has a very dominant personality, too. I can totally picture that expression!

[c-hrista.livejournal.com]

I always feel so bad for twins that are small children and are forced to dress the same. One of my friends has twins and is like "oh my ocd means they have to dress the same" but I'm like THAT IS JUST CRUELTY MAN, let them develop their own tastes! I wish I had twins of my own because I would totally treat them like different people.

[luna-shovegood.livejournal.com]

See, sometimes I think that... but I spend a lot of time with kids and, especially young ones, seem compelled to want what the other kid has even if they gave no shits before.

I think I'd go half way - buy doubles of the clothes and then let them choose whether they want to wear the same day by day. (I'd say entirely pick their own clothes but I've also seem kids with absolutely no weather related clothes sense.)

Even my brother, who is four years younger than me used to want to have the same as I did.

[c-hrista.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea, too. With twins, I think a lot of people would be compelled to buy doubles of outfits, anyway, when gifting you things so that would be fairly easy to do.

Small children are pretty much totally incapable of sharing, and that's been proven, but I've always read/heard that instead of giving in, you should try implementing distraction because they get over it so fast (again, easy in theory, but in the situation it's a little more frazzled).

[luna-shovegood.livejournal.com]

I think to some degree that's true but I also feel like there's a time and a place for it. Shared toys, sure. Clothes in the dress up corner at nursery? Of course. Deliberately getting two different McDonald's toys so they're individuals? Why?

When you're trying to get your small children dressed first thing in the morning and you're in a rush, I think it's fair.

Plus, there's quite a storm about providing children with small choices such as within a selection of appropriate clothes as good for autonomy. I feel it's a little weird to then add 'except when they're twins'.

[c-hrista.livejournal.com]

Deliberately getting two different McDonald's toys so they're individuals? Why?

Oh, in instances like that, I'd assume that if they're old enough to be eating McDonalds, they're old enough to have a preference for which toy they'd like so I'd go with that!

(Sidenote: I haaaaaaaaaate how McDonalds differentiates between their toys as "boy" toys or "girl" toys, just because one is usually some kind of vehicle and the other is a shade of pink.

[geekslave.livejournal.com]

LOL! Poor Lily!

Stacey

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

I imagine that having a twin would be very difficult, especially one who was so dominant like that. Bless you for trying to engage Lily!

[ladycat777.livejournal.com]

So one of my friend's who is a speech therapist has a couple of kids she helps who actually have stunted abilities at speaking/language because of a sibling who talks a lot more. One of them is a twin, I think? But the other just has an older sibling who is a complete chatterbox. It's not malicious (well, it doesn't have to be) but it sometimes can have really negative developmental effects.

Basically: thanks for paying attention to a little kid who likely doesn't get a lot of it.

[place-to-hide.livejournal.com]

Awww. She probably liked that you paid attention to her. Instead of her sister.

[zhelana.livejournal.com]

Mn that poor little girl!

[tigtogiba34.livejournal.com]

I was a Piper, and I had no siblings til I was 9.

[jellibean.livejournal.com]

Awwww, I'm so glad you talked to Lily! ^_^ In my head, she totally made a Jim Halpert face at you.

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

Aww, poor girl...

[night-owl-9.livejournal.com]

When my twin sister and I were younger, I don't think we minded dressing the same too much. Once we got older, dressing the same was a no-go.

Oh poor Lily! XD It was great of you to engage with her.

[qwentoozla]

Aww, that's so funny and cute. It must be hard having a chatty twin!

[poniesandphotos.livejournal.com]

I always wanted to be a twin. I thought it would be fun to have someone that I could share everything with. But having had a few friends growing up it does seem like there is often a more vocal twin, and a quiet one. I would have been Lilly, I'm sure.

[meepalicious.livejournal.com]

Poor kid!

[snogged.livejournal.com]

Glad you had some fun with the kids today.

[howlin-wolf-66.livejournal.com]

Blessed be all of the unsung heroes like Lily! :D

[adam-0oo.livejournal.com]

Adorable

[scripsi.livejournal.com]

I have cousins who are non-identical twins and one of them didn't talk properly, it was just mumbles, but his brother understood and translated. No one managed to break that habit until they started school and were deliberately placing the twins in different classes. Both were outraged, especially the twin that didn't speak properly, but within three weeks he talked perfectly.

[the-moonmoth.livejournal.com]

Hee! Kids :)

[aliens.livejournal.com]

Just finished up my preschool storytime this morning. that sounds like such a lovely thing :3

i love kids so much tbh <3

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

LOL well some days it is lovely, some days it's work. But I think that is how it is with kids. :) They were magnificent this week though, I was spoiled, got through most of my books even with 30 kids in the room!

I switch to Toddler Time next month though...kinda dreading it. I still don't have as good a comfort level with toddlers.

[aliens.livejournal.com]

some days it is lovely, some days it's work. But I think that is how it is with kids. :) haha, it is <3


I switch to Toddler Time next month though.. i would seriously love to do that, as i adore being around babies and toodlers, but i'm sorry you're dreading it. i hope it goes well for you, and you feel more comfortable doing it as you progress!

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I enjoy the babies program because I can pretty much do the same thing every week LOL. Toddler time is just tricky because some times we get super young toddlers and other times they are practically preschoolers and it is difficult to plan for them. And we get 30+ toddlers at a time which is a LOT OF TODDLERS. :) But I just fill up my cart with songs and books and improvise.

[aliens.livejournal.com]

that really does sound like a delightful job though, despite being a lot of work <3 i really hope things go well with the toddler time :D