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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The only advice I can give right now (more later when I have the time), is please keep them on the same schedule. I'm not sure how many multiples you have had but having them on different schedules helps no one. I only work with multiples and from my interview I say it's the same schedule  for all. [/quote]

I have worked with two other sets of twins, but they had very similar temperaments and it was much easier keeping them on the same schedule without so much trouble. I've also never really dealt with parents who fed their young toddlers so much of the "junk food" before; most parents I've worked with have been very keen on feeding their children only organic whole foods, and keeping sugary starchy snacks to a minimum. I guess in both senses (twins with different temperaments and parents who don't strictly feed whole foods) I'm in uncharted territory.

I eagerly await your further advice.

However, I do agree with 17:04 that DD is really struggling and is not getting the sleep she needs, which only further exacerbates other issues :/ Today she only slept for 60 mins (which is INSANE because she was so so so tired. Perhaps it's because she's not getting enough food, but they do still get an 8oz bottle right before nap so I'm not convinced that's the reason. We use dark curtains and a noise machine). She did almost fall asleep in the stroller this morning, but I've worried that if I let her sleep in the stroller it will cause problems at nap time. I also rarely use the stroller for more than fifteen minutes, so by the time she fell asleep she would only get ten minutes sleep at most, and I think waking up after that would just cause her to be even more cranky.

17:16 just saw your post. I appreciate your advice as well. MB has told me they want DD to be less dependent upon being held, and to be more independent in general. I haven't discussed limiting junk food per se (like I said, I don't want to be too preachy or bossy about their food choices for their children), but I have mentioned that I stress healthy foods and they've been very enthusiastic about that as well.

I've been feeding the foods they provide for their children; the yogurt they are offered at this point is the sugary fruity kind. I tried giving them broccoli last week. They refused it, so I tried putting melted cheese on top. They still refused it, but I tried at least. Like I said, they both have healthy foods they seem to like (peas, carrots, corn, etc etc); even DD used to eat those pretty well, and DS still does. It seems to me that DDs eating pattern the last week has been to just not eat anything at all except for said junk food..

I'm curious about this last part, when she's having a hunger tantrum to pick her up, calm her down, and feed her. What you've said totally makes sense (food is a basic need and without it nothing else can be accomplished). But the context of this hunger tantrum is that it started as I was trying to feed her! She had refused food all day (foods offered included banana, cheese, turkey, corn, carrots, green beans, strawberries, cantaloupe). At 11:15 I offered her 3 pieces of strawberry, she ate two and then threw the third (deliberately) on the floor. I told her No firmly, and said that was strike one and reminded her what would happen if she kept throwing food. I offered her a piece of cheese, which was immediately thrown on the floor. I said No, and again reminded her about no throwing, and asked her to please show me how she can eat the food (which has helped in the past). This time I gave her a piece of cantaloupe, which was again thrown on the floor. I told her that was enough and no more food for now. She watched her brother eat and was fussing, so a few mins later I told her I'd give her another chance, and offered her one piece each of strawberry and cheese. She threw them both on the floor.  Up until now, she hadn't been crying; it was a few minutes after this that she began crying. This is how her hunger tantrum started.

It was a few minutes after that that I put her in the play area (thinking maybe she was unhappy sitting in the high chair and might be happier playing with toys), and that's when she really melted down. I guess I could have picked her up, pretty much right after taking her down from the high chair, and offered her food again, but since I had already given her so many chances to eat just a few minutes prior, I can't help but feel the result would've been the same, unless I offered her the junk food she wanted. Do you think I should've gone ahead and given her the junk food at that point? In that case, since DS had just gotten down from eating himself, he would have to be left completely alone while DD then ate...aside from the healthy food vs junk food issue, I want DD to understand that there are certain times that we eat and you can't just refuse to eat one minute and expect to be fed the next.

I'm not trying to be difficult, and I'm certainly not trying to be mean or withhold love or affection or food from any child in my care! In many ways it probably would make my life easier to just feed them both junk food all the time but I do actually care about them and want them to develop healthy eating habits (which MB says is important to her also). I guess another question I have is: Is her young age the main reason that everyone is suggesting to just offer the junk food if she is hungry and refuses other foods? Is there a point at which (18 months? 24 months? 3 years?) it makes more sense to stress healthy foods to the point of making a child go hungry because he/she is holding out for junk food? I feel like healthy eating habits should be established early, and if we show her at 13 months that if you don't eat healthy food you can still have junk food I fear the habit will be harder to break down the road. But if everyone agrees that this type of lesson should wait until she is a bit older, then I can just wait. Like I said, giving in and feeding the junk food probably would just make things easier for me, if everyone agrees to wait for now that's just what I'll do.[/quote]

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