Both wanting my attention first thing in the morning

Hello, I need some advice. Our fraternal twin girls just turned 2 last weekend. They are in cribs in the same room. Most mornings they both wake at the same time and when I go into their room to get them out of thier cribs so begins the crying and the "No Me" from both of them (meaning they want me to carry them downstairs (and hold their bottle) and not Dad). I usually end up going to twin A more often then not since she puts up the bigger fight when Dad tries to carry her. Starting the day with one feeling "neglected" (and me feeling guilty) is not fun. I don't think they're old enough to understand taking turns as in one twin one morning and the other the next but maybe this is what others do. Any advice? I'm sure this happens at other houses. Thanks.

 

I didn't think it was safe to carry both so I made them each hold my hand and we walked down the stairs. In the last 6 months, though, I did start alternating 'special days'- A is odd days, B is even. If I had that issue now I'd just say "it's ___'s special day. I'll be right back for you" and be very Zen about it.

 

I'd also stopped carrying them downstairs once they were that big. If they asked (E & E still do occasionally) I just told them "I'm not carrying you on the stairs. You can hold my hand if you like." Along the same lines I'd let (make) them hold their own bottle and see if you can sit in-between them while they drink. That way there is nothing to argue about.
Also maybe it would help if you didn't go straight downstairs from getting them up (it sounds from your post like this is what you do, sorry if I read it wrong) but instead had 5-10 minutes of cuddles in either their or your bedroom. That way they can both have a some attention from you immediately rather than one having to wait. I know that most of my children are not at their best when they first get up so doing anything contentious right away is normally a bad idea. I find that if I give them a few minutes they are far more willing to cooperate.

If you really don't want to stop carrying them and holding the bottle for them then I would go the route of switching days. They may be a little young to fully understand the idea of taking turns one day at a time but they'd probably get the basic point of it quite quickly. Just keep the explanation simple. You don't need to explain that it's related to the day, just say "This time I am carrying ____, next time I will carry you." Like Michelle said

:lol:

 

I agree with the others. I also taught mine to go down the stairs on their bottoms and this way they could do it themselves without any handholding. It helped that by the time mine turned 2 I was pregnant with their sister, so there was no way I was carrying them up and down the stairs! I also strongly agree they need to be encouraged to hold their own bottles (or sippy cups?????) By this age we were drinking milk with meals and not as part of any morning routine, so it helped with the fights as well.