Regardless of how many kids you might have, they will benefit from one on one time with each of their parents. However, this can be a bit difficult to arrange sometimes, especially if you are a parent of multiples. The results are definitely worth it though, so take advantage of some of the ideas below in order to arrange time alone with each of your kids from time to time.

One way to arrange an opportunity for each of you to get some one on one time with one of your twins is to split up. While one parent goes off to run errands, he or she can take one of the infants, while the other stays home with the remaining parent. Each gets some time with a parent to themselves. Just be sure to switch up which baby spends time with which parents so they get equal time with each parent. The two at home can do something special that is harder to do when both children are around if they would like.

Twins tend to draw a lot of attention in public due to their very nature, so this time out in public for the one going to run errands can give him or her a chance to be more of an individual and learn how to interact with people on their own. He or she can practice social skills without having to worry about their twin. This is especially good if one twin is a bit shyer than the other and tends to hold back when they are together and let the other twin take the spotlight.

This can be an especially effective strategy when the twins are not getting along well and are being difficult. This way they are split up so they have time to calm down, and they also each get to do something a little different. The one gets to go out around the town and the other gets to play with toys without having to compete for what he or she wants to use. Hopefully their adventures will make it so that they have forgotten about whatever it is they might have been fighting about beforehand.

For an even more special outing, each parent can arrange to have a special date night with each child from time to time. They can go out and do something just the two of them, whether it is just a meal at a restaurant, a movie, or hanging out at the mall. It doesn’t have to be a big or expensive event. The important thing is just being together and talking. It doesn’t even have to be at night. If the thing you want to do is only available during the day that is fine as well. The point is to make a plan to do something together on a certain day at a certain time and then follow through and do it.

Once the twins get old enough to have their own interests, you can find interests in common that you can do together. Perhaps you would like to start a collection together, or a take a class to learn a new hobby such as scrapbooking or even martial arts. This will help to draw you even closer together, and give you something special to do just the two of you. You can choose new things to learn about together with each child.

Family and friends can also help you arrange for one on one time with the kids by taking the other child out on a special outing or just watching them for a few hours. This way they can spend one on one time with the twins as well, and each will get a special outing of their own, one with mom or dad and the other with whoever is helping you out. If it is a friend or a neighbor that also has more than one kid, you can offer to do the same for them in return.

If you truly don’t have anyone who can help you arrange to spend time alone with one child at a time, you can arrange for child care for each of the twins on different days so that you can spend time alone with the other one. This might be a bit more costly, but it will give them a chance to socialize with other kids as well as giving you time alone with each of them on separate occasions. This might even help them to make more friends and have more of an individual identity rather than being just one of the twins.

You don’t necessarily have to even go anywhere or split up the family in order to have some one on one time with each child. You can arrange the daily routines at home so that each parent shares different tasks with each of the twins. Make it clear that this is a special tradition that you can share together. Maybe dad takes out the trash with one twin while mom does the dishes with another so that each has some special time with a parent. This can make chores a bit more enjoyable as well.

When you think about it and make an effort, it is possible to find one on one time to spend with your twins. This time is truly beneficial to your relationship as well as to the growth and development of your children, so make sure to take advantage of any opportunities that you can arrange or that might come up from time to time.

Content guidance provided by Amy Hall, M.O.M (Mom of Multiples)