Sooo....are they identical??

smcgervey

Ok - my Aunt warned me about this.  She also has boy/girl twins who are sophomores in high school now.  She said "just wait until people start asking you if they are identical".  I laughed....surely people aren't that dumb right.....?

Maybe I just have "please ask me dumb questions" written on my forehead, or people in general are just that airheaded.  

I was having a conversation with another Sub the other day and she said "you are having twins right?" I replied yes and she asked if they were ID or Frat.  I said "Well we are having a boy and a girl so they are definitely Frat".  Her response "Yea but how can they tell that they aren't identical?"  ...... WHAT?!?  I smiled and politely explained the two placentas and two sacs and added.....and the fact that that they are opposites sexes would indicate that boy/girl twins can never be ID.  She seemed genuinely confused.  

This isn't the first time I've been asked this...in fact its like my 4/5th time with this encounter.  Ladies with b/g twins.....please tell me I'm not surrounded and that this has happened to you too. haha! Oh my.....

lunatwo

I can't wait until someone asks me that.  We need to come up with a good stock answer for it.

It's bad enough that I've already been asked if my babies were conceived in a petrie dish.

melissajo2011

Wow. And she's a teacher? LOL Yes, I have had one or two people ask that question. I just figured they hadn't gotten past the "twin" part enough to actually think about what they were saying.

emilyec1

socialmediamommy:

It totally blows my mind how many people don't get this concept! Even before I was pregnant with twins, I feel like it was pretty obvious what the difference between identical and fraternal was...It's not like some secret science that only twin parents understand.

Before we found out we were having two girls, but knew they were identical, we'd have conversations like this:

Person: Do you know what you're having?

Me: No, but we do know they'll be identical! 

Person: Oh, well I'll cross my fingers for one of each for you!

Me: **Smash head on desk/wall/hand/etc**

MrsLnt

I get it a fair amount, especially since I tend to dress mine in matching outfits. I just smile sweetly and say "it's a boy and a girl" and carry on my way (if it's a random stranger at Target,that is). I like to let them think about it.

The snarky response, if you are so inclined is "no, his penis is bigger than hers." 

naflmj

People are so dumb. My cousin's boyfriend told me he thought ALL twins were identical. I explained it to him and he still felt like girl and boys could be identical...Oh boy.

smcgervey

MrsLnt:

The snarky response, if you are so inclined is "no, his penis is bigger than hers." 

LMAO!!!  Love it!  I'm gonna remember that one

And to clarify, this woman is a SUBSTITUTE.  There are lots of baaaad ones.  Luckily she is not educating the future of our nation  

bethCT

OMG!  I had this EXACT conversation this morning!  I told DD's day care lead teacher that they were definitely fraternal because we had one of each and she seriously said, well, can;t they still be identical?  it took me about 10 minutes to convince her too!!  We just started telling but I am expecting to get this one a lot.

Lithgirl

I have already has 7 people - yes 7!!!! - ask me this about my boy/girl twins. I always say "they can't be identical...one is a boy, one is a girl". Most people respond with "oh, yeah, that's right".....although one woman said, "yes, but they look SO MUCH alike!  lol!

tiffanymuegge

Yup...you'll continue to get these questions - even when they look NOTHING alike!  Mine are 11 1/2 months and yesterday we were at a Buddy Walk for my 10 month old niece who has Down Syndrome.  We had pink team t-shirts made, and unfortunately, my DS had to wear one too...I think I was asked 7 times in ONE day if they were identical...and from my siggy you can tell they look NOTHING alike.  Poor little guy, having to wear pink - it confused EVERYONE! 

I can't count on my fingers and toes how many times I've been asked if they are identical...

sweetsugarmama

i would point out the biggest difference is one has a penis.

Long=journey

tiffanymuegge:

Yup...you'll continue to get these questions - even when they look NOTHING alike!  Mine are 11 1/2 months and yesterday we were at a Buddy Walk for my 10 month old niece who has Down Syndrome.  We had pink team t-shirts made, and unfortunately, my DS had to wear one too...I think I was asked 7 times in ONE day if they were identical...and from my siggy you can tell they look NOTHING alike.  Poor little guy, having to wear pink - it confused EVERYONE! 

I can't count on my fingers and toes how many times I've been asked if they are identical...

 

I'm sure I will be dealing with this very soon!  But Tiffany- I have to say that your twins look very much alike to me  It's fun to see fraternal twins who bear a strong family resemblance!

 

Breezy8407

Hasn't happened to me yet, but a co-worker of mine has frat twin boys, so I think she fielded a lot of the dumb questions for me. Although, because she went on bed rest at 26 weeks, everyone assumes I was going to also. People look at me each day like they are shocked I showed up again. 

Switzerland87

I'm actually having ID twins, so I'm not dealing with this particular flavor of stupid. 

In general, however, my years of work with the public has taught me one very important lesson: People are ALWAYS stupider than they should be. It's as unchanging as gravity.  

LottaLattes

I have been asked this a lot and as they are both boys people then start to ask.  But they have no idea what separate sacs indicate they probably aren't.  I do work with a lot of men and if they insist probing, I tell them two ovaries ovulated and that shuts them up pretty quick. 

HokieLaw

socialmediamommy:

It totally blows my mind how many people don't get this concept! Even before I was pregnant with twins, I feel like it was pretty obvious what the difference between identical and fraternal was...It's not like some secret science that only twin parents understand.

Before we found out we were having two girls, but knew they were identical, we'd have conversations like this:

Person: Do you know what you're having?

Me: No, but we do know they'll be identical! 

Person: Oh, well I'll cross my fingers for one of each for you!

Me: **Smash head on desk/wall/hand/etc**

I got this ALL THE TIME when I Was pregnant.  And now that my daughters are here I have this conversation:

Person: Are they twins?

Me: Yes.  Identical twins.

Person: So is one a boy and one a girl?

The sad part is, I dress them in girly clothes AND their car seats are girly (pink and purple).  Oh and the blankets that are with them when they are out in public are pink.  Usually when I respond they are both girls I also am blessed to hear "Oh, that's too bad."  WTH?  I love my girls.  I wouldn't have it any other way.