Fraternal and identical twins: differences. Opposite twins.

Greetings, my dear subscribers! Of all the types of twins, opposite-sex ones are always of particular interest. Where and how they appear is still a mystery. They are called royal twins. From childhood, kids are best friends, but at the same time, as they grow older, they develop their own social circle and different interests. How are they different from other children?

Let's look back into history to see where this majestic name "royal twins" came from. It was considered great luck to do it at the same time. This helped to avoid a large number of government problems.

The issue of dividing the royal throne was being resolved, which automatically went to the male heir. The sister helped ensure a peace agreement by marrying a representative of a neighboring state.

How are royal twins born?

In 99.9% of cases, royal twins are fraternal. When two different eggs are fertilized by two sperm. But there are a number of exceptions when identical twins can become different sexes:

When one baby gets a full set of 46 chromosomes, and the other gets 45 and the Y chromosome is missing. This case was called Turner syndrome. A child who is missing one chromosome will be a girl. But she will be short and will not be able to have children.

And each embryo has its own amniotic pouch. When there are two placentas and two amniotic pouches, one indicates a bichorionic and biamniotic pregnancy. They have different chromosomes. They don't look alike, but they can have the same sex as the other sex. Each embryo is found in the amniotic sac and its placenta. We are talking about bichorionic and twin pregnancies.

This is why, as midwives and expectant mothers alike, we are increasingly seeing multiple pregnancies. Twins are dizygotic or “false” twins. Genetically different, can be of the same sex or the other sex. There are always 2 amniotic pouches and 2 placentas, so everyone has a pouch and a placenta. It may happen that the placentas are "fused" and contiguous, but each baby has it anyway.

Semi-identical or polar twins - when before fertilization the egg is divided into 2 parts and then fertilized by different sperm. They share 75% of their genes and can be of different sexes. The existence of this type has not yet been scientifically proven.

Features of education

Nature provides that both will develop at different rates. Therefore, if you have twins, a boy and a girl, know this:

Boy and girl twins achieve fine and gross motor skills in different times. As a rule, girls master fine skills earlier - these are those talents that require little muscle coordination and dexterity. For example, tying shoelaces, buttoning clothes. Boys learn gross motor skills earlier – walking, jumping, throwing a ball. Thus, there is no need to worry that the son went earlier than the sister. Or that the daughter mastered the art of dressing herself faster than her brother.

This applies to about 70% of monozygotic twin pregnancies. This syndrome imposes important surveillance on pregnancy as morbidity and mortality increase. Twins will have the same amniotic sac and the same placenta. This affects approximately 1-2% of monozygotic twin pregnancies.

The presence of the same amniotic cavity also increases the risk of umbilical cord entanglement, which significantly increases the risk of infant mortality, which also requires very important pregnancy monitoring. After that brief description various types In pregnancies with two pregnancies, it will be necessary to emphasize the initial criterion, which is called chorionicity. This is what will prevail to ensure monitoring of an adapted twin pregnancy.

Little girls usually do better in school. Research shows that, on average, boys fall behind in primary school. Later they catch up and sometimes overtake their sisters. Therefore, if a girl is significantly superior in the cognitive process, this can negatively affect the boy’s self-esteem. Therefore, psychologists advise parents to divide their children into different classes, clubs, and sections.

Chorionicity is a type of placentation, as we saw on the previous page and above: we have two chorionic and monochromic pregnancies. Indeed, a monochrome pregnancy will require more careful monitoring than a bicher pregnancy due to the greater risks it implies. Any of these risks will be further increased if the pregnancy is more mono-amniotic.

It is therefore recommended that the diagnosis of chorionicity in a twin pregnancy be made as early as possible, as this will be the most reliable. On an ultrasound of the first trimester, this is what is observed to diagnose chorionicity. Biamniotic pregnancy, Monochorial: 2 gestational sacs separated by a thin septum and absence of the lambda sign.

Sometimes girls dominate their brothers. Is your daughter developing faster than her twin brother and taking the lead in play? Often a girl becomes a second mother, which means that the boy develops a passive attitude. Develop his independence and independence.

How to get pregnant with royal twins?

Among the star mothers of the royal twins are Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Roberts, Mariah Carey. In Russian show business, examples of such parents are Alla Pugacheva and Maxim Galkin.

Not all celebrities openly say that for this they had to resort to in vitro fertilization services. How to conceive royal twins naturally?

After the birth of your first child, breastfeed for a long time.

Eat more dairy products, including fermented milk.

Start taking folic acid early.

For monochorionic pregnancies: the risk assessment should be given in the form of a risk scale, the limits of which are the corresponding values ​​of the thickness of the nuchal translucency of the two fetuses. It is not recommended to routinely offer the use of 1st trimester serum markers, which are currently being evaluated in twins, as it is not recommended to routinely offer second trimester serum markers. Due to the average sensitivity associated with a high false-positive rate, and the tests do not pose a risk for each fruit.

A couple of extra pounds increases estrogen levels, and this is a scientifically proven fact. This means that the body will produce more than one egg;

Plan to conceive in the spring.

The greatest likelihood is in women aged 30-40 years.

Despite the fact that all these methods do not guarantee the appearance of twins, they will nevertheless significantly increase the chances of success.

Celebrity royal twins

Finally, I will share with you interesting facts Which star has a royal twin brother or sister:

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See you again!

Always yours, Anna Tikhomirova

FEDERAL AGENCY FOR EDUCATION

State educational institution higher professional education

Russian State Humanitarian University

Branch in Nizhny Novgorod

Scientific and practical

“Heuristics” center

Ermolaeva Oksana Igorevna

Test on PSYCHOGENETICS

Scientific supervisor

_____________________

(academic degree, academic title)

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Moscow 200_

INTRODUCTION

1. FEATURES OF THE FORMATION OF GEMINI’S PERSONALITY

2. SECRETS OF OPPOSE-SEX TWINS

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

Introduction

There are at least 60 million twins on earth, of which approximately one third are as similar to each other as two peas in a pod. These are so-called monozygotic twins, whose set of genes is exactly the same. In another type of twins - dizygotic - approximately half of the genes are the same.

Fraternal twins can be of different sexes, and often they are no more similar to each other than ordinary brothers and sisters; they are usually called “twins.”

The birth of two or more babies at the same time has always aroused special interest among others, and in some ancient cultures the birth of twins was perceived as an event of religious significance. mystical meaning, sometimes - as a bad omen that threatens disaster for the entire family. It happened that twins and their mother were even killed.

We have already come a long way from those times, but twins are still perceived by ordinary consciousness today as something extraordinary, and not without reason. Science has not yet established precisely under the influence of what factors multiple pregnancies develop, why the number of births of twins differs among different nationalities, in different countries, why more or less of them are born depending on certain social conditions (for example, during wars, the frequency of twin births decreases). In our country, twins are born approximately once every 80-100 births. All families with children face some common difficulties, although, of course, in twin families they are more pronounced, and their resolution requires much more effort from parents. Some problems are typical only for twin families, and the point here is not only that two twins are born at once, but the problems are multiplied by two. What are the origins of specifically “twin” developmental difficulties? We will look at the features of the relationship between all members of the twin family. Knowledge of these features and problems that arise in the process of raising twins is necessary not only for parents, but also for teachers and everyone who works with children.

Peculiarities of personality formation in twins

Because of their special relationship with twins, they early childhood grow in a somewhat unusual atmosphere. Many people around perceive a twin pair as a single inseparable whole, ignore the differences between the children, call them by their last name or the same name, do not attach importance to the children’s attitude towards the fact that they are confused, etc. As noted in the literature (S. Scarr, 1968), the family environment and parental treatment are usually more similar for monozygotic (MZ) twins than for dizygotic (DZ) twins. Twins at an early age, and sometimes later, are almost never separated, often wear the same clothes, play identical games, read the same books, etc. This contributes to the emergence of the so-called “reaction”, or “twinity effect” - complete identification of oneself with the twin partner, the desire to be no different from him. The severity of this reaction differs for members of monozygotic and dizygotic pairs: as a rule, closer connections are established between the partners of MZ pairs than between members of DZ pairs.

From birth, twins develop a certain relationship that differs from the usual relationship between brothers and sisters - the “twin situation” (R. Zazzo, 1960), which leaves an indelible imprint on the development of twins and their relationships with parents and other people. R. Zazzo showed that a twin pair often forms its own special microcosm (“microcosm”), characterized by a number of features both within itself and in relationships with other people and the outside world. The special twin environment leads to the fact that closer, more intimate relationships are established between co-twins than between ordinary brothers and sisters. These connections are so strong that even to temporary separation from their co-twin (for example, if one of the twins is hospitalized), they react as sharply as to separation from their mother.

The value of a twin partner for a co-twin from birth is so high that the relationship in a twin pair can be characterized as symbiotic (D. Ortmeyer, 1970). If the main problem for a single-born child is to overcome symbiotic ties with his mother, then twins must solve another equally serious problem - to “separate” themselves from their partner in a twin pair, and the greater the similarity, the more difficult the task becomes. Even a tiny baby, who has not yet learned to move, somehow miraculously manages to turn in the crib so as to be as close as possible to his twin, he reaches out to him, listens to his breathing, can suck his fingers, etc. A characteristic phenomenon for Twins sometimes use the pronoun “we” instead of “I”, they later recognize themselves in photographs (and MZ twins - another 3 months later than DZ) and in the mirror, they begin to use their own name later than single-borns, they respond not only to their own, but also in the name of the twin.

The “twin reaction” can lead to a slowdown in children’s personality development. The desire to be like each other in everything, identifying oneself with a twin partner (mutual identification) influence the formation of self-awareness and lead to difficulty in the process of individualization in twins. In the process of developing a child’s personality, one of the central formations is the “I” system. In psychology, the term “self-awareness” usually denotes the activity of a subject aimed at realizing his actions, experiences, and his place in life. The results of such awareness are consolidated into self-esteem. In the period up to 3 years, a child’s self-esteem is formed spontaneously as a result of an adult’s taken-for-granted attitude. The important point here is awareness of oneself as a subject of individualization. The greater mutual identification of twin partners leads to the fact that this process of formation of self-awareness is significantly different in twins compared to singletons. The development of the personality of twins, their acquisition of a sense of their own identity, characterized by separation of themselves from others, mastery of the body diagram, largely depend on the nature of the relationship in one twin pair, on how they perceive themselves and each other.

H. von Bracken identifies three points that are important in relation to twin partners: 1) the time that twins spend together (usually MZ twins are together more often and longer than DZ), 2) the desire of same-sex DZ twins for differences and the desire of MZ twins for uniformity , 3) distribution social roles in a couple, which has a polarizing character on the individualization of partners.

Geminis distribute various functions and skills among themselves in a certain way. For example, one may be responsible for communication with the outside world, taking on the full function of the couple’s representative when communicating with other people. At the same time, the other twin may not develop communication skills at all, since twins, who perceive themselves as a single and inseparable whole, believe that it is enough for at least one of them to master the relevant skills.

A stable distribution of roles in a twin pair can persist throughout life and lead to disruption of social adaptation in adulthood: there are often cases when twins refuse to study, work or serve in the army in different places, they are not ready to create their own family, their contacts with others are limited - from other people they expect the same level of mutual understanding as from their co-twin.

Cases of complete interdependence of twins have been repeatedly described, when each of them individually feels completely helpless, since they have complementary personality traits. For example, one can count, and the other can write (such a couple underwent a psychological examination in the laboratory of developmental psychogenetics of the PI RAO).

The initial source of distribution of roles in a couple are differences at birth (weight, height, birth order, etc.) and different attitudes of the mother towards them. Parents, without realizing it, encourage the actions expected of each child (for example, considering the first-born twin to be the eldest, they form an attitude towards leadership in the pair). The child begins to behave in accordance with the role assigned to him, and this is the main reason for the primary differentiation of twins. Researchers most often identify the following roles: representative in the outside world, leader, inner conscience of the couple, etc. (H.von Bracken, 1978, A.Anastasi, 1958).

To understand the developmental characteristics of twins, it is necessary to consider the interaction between the “twinity reaction” and the desire of members of a twin pair to individualize. A. Heigl-Evers (1971) identifies two opposing tendencies in the style of relationships between MZ twins - convergent (closer to a partner) and divergent (separation from a partner in a couple, desire for independence, struggle for self-affirmation), which often appear simultaneously. We can distinguish 4 forms of relationships between members of twin pairs - 1) rivalry, leading to divergence of twins, 2) complementary (complementary) subordination, leading to the rapprochement of twins and their interdependence, 3) equality and 4) conformity, leading to complete similarity in the attitudes of twin partners .

The close attachment of twins to each other and the desire to always be together sometimes lead to the fact that children interact only with each other, excluding peers, or even all other people, from their social circle. Mothers of twins usually have more worries and are more tired, so, on average, they talk less with twins than mothers of singletons, and the children are often left to their own devices. This leads to a slower development of speech skills, since by talking only to each other, they have less opportunity to learn new speech skills, and their existing speech deficiencies are exacerbated. In such a situation, children may develop so-called “autonomous” speech - incomprehensible to outsiders. There is nothing bad about this, but if you don’t pay attention to it in time, correct speech is not formed (after all, children understand each other, but other people do not interest them), and this is no longer indifferent to the mental development of children in general.

To avoid all these undesirable consequences, it is better for parents from a very early age to try to behave in such a way as to encourage independence in children, awareness of their “I”, attach importance to their differences, try to call everyone by their own name, i.e. namely, to treat children as two separate and distinct individuals, and not as “one human being in two copies.” It is advisable that children have different toys, different clothes, different beds, etc. The easiest way to highlight your children's individuality is to give them different hairstyles. Sometimes it is quite difficult to buy different things for children, and sometimes they themselves do not want it, but some small differences, for example, at least a bow, a different color of clothing, can always be used.

Parents should try to get to know each twin individually; for this, some special techniques can be used - for example, you can take children to kindergarten in turns (on Monday and Wednesday - one, on Tuesday and Thursday - the second, and on Friday - both together), so that the twins have the opportunity to be alone with their parents and communicate with other children on their own. Also, mother or father can take each of them with them in turn if they go, for example, to the store. On birthdays, an individual approach is required - twins should have separate birthday cakes, gifts, and congratulations. It's good if everyone has their own toys, which are stored in their own drawer.

For normal speech development of twins, parents must speak to each one separately and encourage other people to do so. It's good if each twin has his own time when he can talk alone with mom and dad. If autonomous speech appears, it is necessary to expand the children’s social circle, perhaps placing them in different groups kindergarten so that they have a need to be understood by the people around them. In this case, it is advisable to consult with a psychologist, since early separation from the twin can have an adverse effect on all further development.

However, when noticing and encouraging children's differences, one should be careful, since twins can be jealous and even sensitive about their partner's successes and achievements. Sometimes this gives rise to heightened competitiveness and competitiveness in their relationship, up to the development of ongoing conflict, this is especially characteristic of adolescence, when the twins begin to move away from each other.

There are always two twins. Having never been able to have the full attention of the mother, one of them is less willing to receive this attention if his twin is near him. And not only because twins provide each other with a sense of security and comfort, but also because then the child is sure that the mother does not pay more attention to his partner than to him. Of course, such a jealous feeling towards the mother can also arise in a family with single-born children - brothers and sisters, but in twin families jealousy appears earlier and is more pronounced. Geminis usually try to avoid situations that provoke jealousy. To do this, they sometimes become attached to different parents - one becomes closer to the mother, the other to the father. Another way to avoid jealousy is to always strive to have the same things that your co-twin has - toys, parental attention, etc.

Some twins, even as adults, never become self-sufficient and independent individuals. If parents want to help their children find their own “I,” they need to treat twins in such a way that each of them feels their own uniqueness, aware of their differences from their brother or sister.

Secrets of opposite-sex twins

Twins of opposite sexes are boys and girls born to their mother as a result of multiple pregnancy. Most often these are twin pairs consisting of a boy and a girl, but sometimes there are more complex combinations. For example, three twins can be born at the same time, two of which are identical girls, and the third - their brother - developed from a different egg. Today we will talk about opposite-sex twin pairs. These children, although they look like ordinary brothers and sisters growing up in the same family, still have their own specific characteristics due to the fact that they are members of a twin pair.

Opposite twins are always fraternal twins, because if they developed from the same maternal egg, then their genes would be the same, which means they would be the same sex. Fraternal twins share 40 to 60% of their genes, just like normal siblings. The external similarity of opposite-sex twins can be striking (“like two peas in a pod”), which arouses interest and even delight among others. It also happens that twins are completely different from each other - just as ordinary children from the same family are sometimes different from each other. Of course, opposite-sex twins grow up in the same unique conditions as all twin pairs. They develop together in utero, are born on the same day, grow together after birth, spend a lot of time with each other and have a strong influence on each other.

Interestingly, sometimes opposite-sex twins are even more similar friend on each other in character, personality traits than same-sex fraternal twins. The reason for this may be that same-sex twins, as a rule, tend to emphasize both their differences and their similarities, to complement each other. For opposite-sex twins, there is no point in specifically emphasizing the differences - they are already obvious. Twins of opposite sexes seem to learn from each other - the boy learns from the girl the ability to be softer and more gentle, and the girl learns from the boy to be more courageous, decisive, and strong. A common family atmosphere, common interests, activities, the same friends - everything that usually accompanies the development and formation of the personality of twins - all this brings together, unites the partners in a twin pair, makes them similar to each other.

When opposite-sex twins are born in a family, everyone congratulates the parents on an extraordinary, happy event, because they have them right away - at the same time! - a son and daughter appeared. But everyday problems immediately arise - two cribs are required, two different sets of clothes - for a boy and a girl, different toys. In addition, a boy and a girl may differ more in their sleep patterns than same-sex twins and may prefer different food. Parents should understand well that from the very first day twins require a different approach, because they are creatures of different genders - a boy and a girl. You need to know the developmental characteristics of boys and girls, not worry if one twin lags behind the other, and not try to “fit” them to each other.

Parents must take into account that opposite-sex twins do not develop synchronously, their physical and mental development proceeds differently, at different paces. For example, opposite-sex twins begin to speak earlier than same-sex twins, but boys master the complexities and subtleties of human speech a little later than girls. Because of this, one should not think that the boy is behind in development, and, moreover, reproach him for this. Earlier speech development girls - general pattern, until adolescence, girls can generally give boys a “head start” on many points. Thus, social skills, communication skills with other people, mastering various social roles associated with the ability to obey and follow rules - all this becomes available to girls earlier. The reason is both the advanced formation of speech and the desire to imitate mother and other adults, play their roles and perform their functions.

Among other things, opposite-sex twins - boys and girls - in comparison with same-sex twins, differ more in their performance at school, in their interests (boys have more "masculine" interests, girls - "feminine"), they more often have different social circles, different friends . The differences in the physiology and psychology of opposite-sex twins are especially noticeable in adolescence. In boys and girls, puberty and the period of growing up, associated with powerful hormonal changes and psychological changes in personality, occur at different times. At this time, the twins may move away from each other, and smoldering conflicts may flare up. As a rule, good relationships are restored, you just need to support the teenagers during this difficult transition time.

Geminis spend a lot of time with each other, and, of course, this affects the formation of their personality. As a result, it may happen that the boy becomes too soft and gentle, plays with dolls and mother-daughter games with his sister, and the girl, on the contrary, becomes too rude, cocky and plays with cars and pistols. Parents should pay attention to such behavior in their children. Everyone is well familiar with such stereotypical portraits - a strong, decisive man who hides his feelings and a weak, gentle woman who is ready to submit. We will not discuss whether these stereotypes are “correct” or not, they simply exist and define social behavior and people's perceptions of each other. You can allow your child to behave as he pleases, but do not forget that behavior that does not correspond to traditional social gender roles (a man who cries often, for example) can become a possible source of problems for the child as in childhood, when communication with peers, and in the future when he becomes an adult. It is still advisable to adhere to the traditional rules of raising boys and girls, encouraging corresponding activities and interests. You just don’t need to be too zealous about it. Mutual enrichment should also be welcomed when children master some skills of the “opposite” sex (for example, in developed countries, for example, the division of housework into male and female, which is familiar to us, has long been eliminated).

A unique relationship develops within an opposite-sex twin pair. Usually this is a fairly warm, harmonious relationship of affection and love that satisfies both the twins themselves and their parents. But sometimes problems can arise that make parents worry. For example, it happens that a girl is so attached to her twin brother that when he goes out to play with other boys, she gets bored and sits looking out of the window until he comes. The opposite situation may also arise: a sociable, more developed girl is friends with classmates and plays, for example, volleyball, better than her twin brother. All the boys want to play with her, but they won’t take her brother. He gets upset and offended, feels unhappy and useless. Such relationships of dependence can interfere with the formation of an autonomous, self-sufficient person.

Since girls mature earlier, they enter adolescence earlier, when the need for communication comes first and the first love comes. The girl begins to make friends with older boys, and the brother, as the youngest, still a child, with his own childish interests, is left alone. The girl seeks to isolate herself from her brother, she wants to have her own room, her own things that her brother is not allowed to touch, her own secrets. As a result, the twin brother begins to painfully experience this change in his relationship with his sister. He feels insecure, small, rejected, not as courageous as the boys his sister is friends with.

If there are older children in the family, this can also become a source of some difficulties. Sometimes one of the members of an opposite-sex twin pair is more friendly with the older brother or sister than with his co-twin. Most often, children are united by gender - girl with girl, boy with boy. In such a situation, the other twin may become closer to their parents or, worse, feel lonely and isolated. If you notice that your child is often alone and doesn’t communicate much with other children, try to talk to him more, caress him once again, and let him know that you love him. It’s very good if you help him create a different permanent social circle and make new friends. The best thing that unites children within a family is common concerns, common work. Give them instructions, give them responsibilities that all children will have to perform together - this will strengthen their relationships, help them get to know and love each other better.

In opposite-sex twin pairs, birth order (whoever was born first is older) does not play a decisive role. Most often in these couples the girl dominates. This is due to various reasons. Girls develop faster and become independent earlier. They almost always have good, friendly relationships with their father and mother. In addition, they themselves strive to act in relation to their twin brother as an older sister - to take care of him, to help him in everything. This leads to a strengthening of the girl’s position in the family. But it is usually more difficult for a boy to establish family connections on his own; it is easier to rely on his sister as his “social secretary.” Although in some cases factors such as height, weight, and the pace of development of twins change the situation, and the girl may lose her leading position. Then the boy becomes dominant in the twin pair.

If parents are concerned about the leadership-subordination relationship that develops between twins (for example, one of the twins is suppressing the other), then it is better to separate the twins. Opposite-sex twins tolerate separation from each other much easier than same-sex twins, united by deep dependence, so they will not worry very much. If there is such an opportunity, let the children go to different kindergartens (groups), schools (classes). You can use other opportunities to separate the twins - send them to visit relatives separately, try to have them go to different clubs, sports sections, attended various electives at school. The main and most important rule is that parents should perceive twins as independent and different individuals who have their own interests, their own affairs, their own secrets, their own assignments.

It is better if the family unites father and son, mother and daughter. Children tend to spend most of their time with their mother. For the harmonious development of children's personalities, it is good if dad also spends a lot with the children. It is advisable for a father to pay special attention to communicating with his son, helping him acquire the necessary “male” skills. Let the father give the child his friendship, help him become self-confident, and provide the boy with support in difficult situations.

If a boy occupies a subordinate position in a couple and is inferior to his sister in everything, specially develop his skills of independent behavior and independence from his sister. It is good if the child attends some section intended only for boys. It is important that he has his own, “separate” friends. It’s good if the boy has some activity in which his sister is not superior to him (at least rope climbing or sharpening kitchen knives).

If there is no father in the family, the mother should be especially concerned about the development of the personality of her twin son. In an incomplete family, a boy finds himself alone with two stronger women, since a girl in such a family usually teams up with her mother, trying to help her, and takes care of her brother like an older sister. And a boy can become very attached to his sister, he may be afraid of losing her just like he lost his father. It’s great if there is a grandfather, uncle, or family friend who will help the boy develop self-confidence, whom the boy could and would like to imitate, receiving from him examples of “masculine” behavior. It is important to expand the social circle of such a boy so that he has more friends and acquaintances.

If a girl cannot live without her brother, then, on the contrary, try to develop her self-sufficiency. Here the mother should pay special attention to her daughter. Mother and daughter can go shopping together, discuss and resolve problems related to the household. It’s very good if they discuss “women’s” topics together, consult with each other, and even, perhaps, “gossip” a little, talking about people and the reasons for their behavior (just don’t overestimate the level of psychological maturity of your daughter).

Conclusion

There are many positive aspects of twins. Many people enjoy being twins and find many more advantages than disadvantages. Many find their personality and individuality. However, the issue of individuality is a sensitive issue for many twins. For some, the search for their individuality turns into a real struggle.

The sooner we pay attention to difficult situations in twins, the more accurately we limit their development into serious problems in the future. So the father of identical twins consulted a psychologist about the fact that children could barely say two coherent words. The boys would soon be 5 years old and start attending school. The psychologist advised the father not to rush into school and to bring the children to the clinic. The psychologist did not ask to bring the whole family, which however happened - the parents, twins and four older brothers and sisters came. Then it became obvious why the twins did not want to talk; their family spoke for them. The twins had their own complex personal language, little understood by others. After two years of intensive speech therapy in different classes, the boys began to dress differently and it became easier to tell them apart. It is interesting to note that the twins had above average intelligence levels even before they began to speak.

How is the life of twins different from the life of other children, and what aspects can influence the development of twins, making it difficult to separate them? Firstly, this is the environment in which they grew up. They are forced to share their mother, and the mother, in turn, must divide her love between two or more children. Even if a mother pays attention to both twins, she can only really concentrate on one child. Another baby may feel forgotten. This is one of the reasons why speech development in twins is often delayed - during communication, the child may turn out to be someone else.

A characteristic feature inherent in twins is the practical absence of loneliness. Twins can spend their entire lives, including the period of intrauterine development, in close proximity to each other. This is unusual life experience, which one child will never experience. When a mother walks with one child, the baby is alone. Twins will hear each other's breathing if they share the same room. Even later, they are rarely separated for long periods of time. Still, loneliness is an important part of a child’s development, a means of self-discovery, self-knowledge and, without a doubt, a way of developing the confidence to be oneself.

The process of finding one's individuality is similar to the process of separation from one's mother. First you identify with it and then you find your own special path. But for this you need to go through identification. Separation is a rather complex and painful process. There are no simple or easy answers here; everyone must find themselves.

It may be more helpful to talk about separation as a change in relationships and a change in perspective on those relationships. Many people are most afraid of rupture, destruction of something. Therefore, when we talk about relationship change, we can be less frightening than when we talk about separation as a breakup.

Geminis will always be twins. It's part of their personality. Separation does not give full awareness of one's individuality, it is just the beginning. Awareness of the question “Who am I?” - this is a different, somewhat more complex process.

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