Multiples: What do you do with them?

November 7, 1:03 AMAlexandria Parenting Multiples ExaminerJoscelyn Campbell

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Have you ever seen a school bus stop and kindergarteners are unloading off the bus? You have been paused at a stop sign for a trail of young preschoolers trying as they cross street?  Did you ever think to yourself what it might be like to have multiples in your home?  An instant playmate for each sibling where everyday would be like actually living in Mister Rogers neighborhood. Right? Well, sort of. 

Having children, especially multiples, is a gift, but it can be very challenging.  Taking care of children, who can be at the same developmental, emotional, and physical stages, requires some planning.  What do you do with multiples between the ages of 0-5, when they have not officially started school?  Some activities parents can find helpful are the following:

Join a multiples club: In a multiples club, you are going to find parents who understand the joys and challenges of raising multiples first hand.  You will be able to connect with other parents so you can create a supportive network.  Also, the multiples club have wonderful playgroups for all children and numerous events throughout the year. An active and social multiples group in the area is the Fairfax County Mothers of Multiples Club. http://www.fcmom.org

Establish storytime and music: Children love to sing and read, even at a young age. It can help calm and stimulate their minds. Almost all local libraries have a storytime for preschoolers and recreation centers have listings of children music classes. Fairfax County library preschoolers' calendar is http://host6.evanced.info/fairfaxco/evanced/eventcalendar.asp?et=Preschool&do=0&nd=27&dt=mo&df=list&cn=0&private=0&ln=ALL. 

Alexandria County library children's' event calendar is http://host4.evanced.info/alexandriava/evanced/eventcalendar.asp?lib=ALL.

Fairfax County recreation center children's' calendar is http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/rec/classes/children.htm. 

Alexandria County recreation center calendar is http://alexandriava.gov/recreation/info/default.aspx?id=12328.

Let kids play and grow: Having multiples at home all day can make them (and parents) a little stir crazy.  During the summer, it easier for families to be outdoors, but what happens in the winter?  Not all places that are "children-friendly" are "multiples-friendly" so it is important to bring your multiples to places where they can be free to run, learn, and explore.  For some local indoor "multiples-friendly" locations, visit the following the link: http://www.examiner.com/x-24159-Alexandria-Parenting-Multiples-Examiner~y2009m11d2-Use-Indoor-Play-Areas-For-Cold-Weather-Days-and-Bored-Kids

For a listing of enclosed (fenced-in) playgrounds so your multiples won't wander away, visit the following the link: http://www.examiner.com/x-24159-Alexandria-Parenting-Multiples-Examiner~y2009m9d30-Parenting-101-Where-are-the-enclosed-parks-in-the-area

Crafts:  Kids love to create artwork so help them create masterpieces by reviewing the following resourceful and inventive websites for craft ideas: http://www.sesamestreet.org/parents, http://www.nickjr.com/crafts/index.jhtml, http://www.teaching-tiny-tots.com, http://www.toddlercraft.net, http://www.pbs.org/parents/craftapparent, http://www.twinslist.org/toddler.htm

Having multiples can mean more parenting duties, but it also means multiple times the love!