Raising Twins: Parenting Multiples from Pregnancy Through the School Years

I'm a mom of 2 1/2-year-old twin boys, and I own five different books about raising twins. Flais' book is the best one by far because it's more honest than the others. She is very adamant that synchronizing your twins' skeds is key -- when one wakes up to eat, you wake the other one up. Period. I totally agree. Feeding them back-to-back will make you insane. Also, it is refreshing to read from a doctor that pacificers are not a good idea. I never used them -- just one more habit to break. She also reminds you that you need to treat your twins as individuals, something that is easy to forget when you are so busy. The best tips are in boxes, so they are easy to find. Plus, this book is short. No mom of twins has time to read more!

As a pediatrician taking care of many families with multiples, I find that Dr. Flais' book is a practical and east-to-read guide which answers many basic care issues that parents face. She strikes a nice balance with her advice, recognizing that not all families function identically, and that there is not only one specific solution to all problems (which is a characteristic of parenting books that should be sought after in general). She also acknowledges that not every individual situation that parents encounter will go as smoothly as hoped, but if one stays true and consistent to your goals as a parent, increased success will generally be obtained over time. There are a number of very practical tips in this book to help parents of multiples streamline their days, to be more efficient with routine tasks (feeding, toilet training for instance) and to be more cost-conscious at the same time. Many of her suggestions are applicable for raising any child (singleton or twin) and are well within the mainstream of parenting advice (such as the need for consistency with discipline strategies, the importance of adequate sleep etc.) I give her credit however for stressing the importance of making sure ALL members of the family are taken care of (including the parents) and the challenges that raising children can place on the relatioships within the parent. I think she places appropriate emphasis on the functioning of all the relationships within the family (not just parent-child). The book is written with a positive yet realistic outlook on the different challenges presented by raising twins rather than a single child. These differences are not made out to be insurmountable or more difficult however, which should provide optimism to parents. She points out several joyful life moments that twins uniquely experience, which should provide parents a lot of positive feelings about their own capabilities and that of their children.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is full of pertinent information that directly relates to what I am currently going through. When I have a quick question, I just pick up this book and more often than not I can find the answer to my question. I have read books written for singleton pregnancies, but there is nothing more comforting than reading a book that directly relates to my current situation. Thank you for writing such a fabulous book!

Dr. Flais's book is an outstanding resource for all parents. Her Twin tips apply not only to twin families but all families with young children. Although I do not have twins,I found the book to be extremely helpful simply having young children close together in age. Dr. Flais gives practical advice that you can really use and it comes from the perspective of a mom experiencing the challenges with the expertise of a doctor. This is a must have for anyone who is expecting or has young children.

Raising Twins is a comforting, reassuring book that makes the prospect of raising twins a lot less frightening and overwhelming! I've read many books on raising twins and have not found any yet that match the ease and comfort of this book. It feels like getting honest advice from a trusted friend. It openly admits to the many challenges of raising twins, but it is very light-hearted and gives you many practical, real examples to use in your own life. There are even tips to help with the financial strains of raising multiple children. When I finished reading this book, I felt a refreshing wave of optimism that I WILL survive these years; I only wish I had this book before my now 2 year old twins were born! I am sure I will have this by my bedside as we make our way through the preschool years!! From a mother of twins, if you know someone expecting or already has young twins, get them this book!!!