Guest Author - Secola Edwards

So, you've made it past the diapers stage and it's now time for the twins to venture out and begin to hone in on their social skills and possibly get a jump start on their education.

Which type of social environment is best for your twins? This would depend on several factors.

The most important question to consider is: are both kids ready to spend even a small portion of their day being cared for by someone other than a parent? This is especially relevant for multiples of stay at home moms. If one sibling is ready for the change and the other is not, it will make for an unpleasant experience for both children. On an emotional level, the resistant twin will be miserable in class and her sibling will feel the overwhelming urge to care for her, thus limiting his experience of interacting with new friends. Under this circumstance, the best choice may be a Mother's Day Out program, which can be found through a local church or YWCA. Most Mother's Day Out programs are operated once or at the most twice weekly for 3-4 hours each visit and the enrollment tends to be smaller with 10-12 children per class in the 3-yr old age group. This would give your hesitant child the reassurance that mom will be back very soon and the more social twin an opportunity to interact with others her age.If both kids are ready to go for it, then full-time enrollment at a pre-school or daycare center would probably work fine for your family.

Religious affiliations can also have a heavy influence as to where you send your children. I was a stay at home mother during my twins' early childhood years and we chose a pre-school program which was located within a Christian Church to enroll them in after they turned three. The emphasis was age- appropriate Bible study with a pre-school learning curriculum. Many groups of varying religious beliefs offer the same type of service.

If a home setting appeals to you then a private home center, where children are looked after by a caregiver in the caregiver's own home may work. Private home care tends to be more social and less educational in nature and offers smaller groups of children, longer hours and hot meals.

When choosing alternative care for your twins, costs must be considered. As a parent of multiples, your charges are at least doubled. Only you know what type of budget you can afford, so do your research. The costs will vary greatly, depending on type of care (private or center based), location of the business and services, such as hot meals. Caregivers who offer fewer children per teacher will probably charge more and vice-versa.

Also, keep in mind many centers will not accept a 3 year old who is not yet toilet trained.

As with any service oriented business, a personal referral from someone you trust is always the best place to begin your search.