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Opponents or Teammates?
Tackling Sibling Rivalry in Twins By Susan Kohl
"I actually shared my first pregnancy with my twin," says Karen. "I had fertility problems, and it took a lot longer for me to get pregnant than expected. That was a big struggle for my sister because she and her husband wanted to plan for their second child.
"She had thought that I would be 'done' by the time they wanted another. She was concerned about becoming pregnant before I did or even sharing a pregnancy with me because this was to be my first. She did not want to take away from my special moment. Most sisters would not even think of this as an issue, but with twins, having shared every material item and emotional and physical milestone in your life, you think about it."
Within a few weeks after Karen became pregnant with her first child, her twin sister, Kim, learned she was pregnant with her second. And Karen admits she was disappointed at first. "After my lengthy struggle, I wanted all the attention so I could feel really special," Karen says. "I got over my initial feelings quickly because I knew we had a unique opportunity to share this event as twins."
Sometimes the twin connection will even override a competitive spirit to the point where twins unconsciously discover that they have great teamwork.
In many cases, competition between twins can be very healthy and provide a number of genuine benefits. Twins can learn from each other as well as take pride in each other's accomplishments. They can help each other to excel, whether it's in school, sports or the pursuit of a rewarding career. And they can have fun when competing with each other because in the end, they know their love is real and is there for a lifetime.
