Double the Trouble, Double the Fun

I have a fraternal twin sister named Rebecca. We barely look like sisters, so people have a hard time believing that we’re twins. She is five inches taller than me with straight brown hair and brown eyes. I have curly blonde hair and blue eyes.

We also have completely different body types and personalities. Saturday mornings will find her hiking at 5 am, while I’m sleeping off a night of intense reading and Netflix binging.

We didn’t use to be so different. But even though she chose basketball and band while I opted for theatre and dance, we always have each other’s backs.

Types

The two main types of twins are identical and fraternal.

Identical twins are always the same gender and a genetic glitch. What happens is, one cell splits into two cells. The two cells turn into two babies, but since it was supposed to be one baby it’s still in the same sac. Most babies are developed in individual sacs, but identical babies share. Because of this, identical twins share a lot of the same genetics and can be difficult to tell apart. However, as identical twins get older they can develop in different ways depending on lifestyle, exposure, and how their bodies react to puberty. They are usually easier to tell apart when they are older.

Fraternal twins are basically two siblings who just happen to be born together. Fraternal twins are a hereditary trait and some women even have multiple sets. Boy and girl twins are always fraternal, but same gender twins can also be fraternal. Because the two babies are developed in their own sacs, they don’t share the same genetics that identical twins do; however, they can still have a strong bond.

Myths

Twins cannot read each other’s minds. It may seem that way sometimes, but anyone can guess someone’s thoughts and feelings if they are close enough.

There is no good twin and bad twin. I may joke about being the “evil twin” but twins aren’t born with a hero-villain dynamic.

Twins are not naturally better at sharing. They are probably more used to sharing, but sharing a womb with someone might even make sharing more difficult than easier.

Twins don’t have to be separated in school in order to learn better. Yes, some twins rely too much on each other and need to learn independence; however, the situation is different depending on the kids.

Facts

The fraternal twin gene is passed from mother to daughter.

Women in their thirties are more likely to have twins.

Some twins can appear to be different races if their parents are a bi-racial couple.

Women who eat dairy while pregnant are more likely to have twins.

Twins grow in the womb together, which is one of the reasons why they are so close and will often seek physical contact with each other after they are born.

There is so much more I could say about twins. One of the nicest things about having a twin is getting an immediate best friend. As kids we were always joining sports teams, transferring schools, and getting thrown into new situations, so it was comforting to go through all that together. Twins may be a handful, but they take care of each other.

This article was previously published on Blithe and Bonny