Why do twin parents pay double but get no extra help?

[Twinmama11]

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately… having twins means buying everything x2, but there’s not really any extra support or discounts out there.

It kind of feels like we’re just expected to manage it?

Does anyone else feel like this or is it just me?

But it doesn’t happen in the majority of cases!!

And??

So hang on… you’re kind of being quite discriminatory. I don’t have children currently and I’m facing fertility issues. I’m on a waiting list for IVF. Well known that IVF can lead to higher chance of twins. I’d rather only have one child, but if my one and only chance results in twins, your attitude is tough? How very insensitive of you. Also we are having to fork out loads for the treatment, before we’ve even got to all the costs of having one or two babies will be.

I am just offering you another perspective here.

It’s not a race to the bottom.

So what if you have 1 baby and then accidently get pregnant soon after? Your costs are higher and you didn’t intend to have 2 babies.

It’s daft logic, who would even fund the extra discounts? What about those who have twins running in the family so do understand the risk?

Buy things and sell them on afterwards. I’m not sure why you expect a discount.

So by your logic, if you implant 2 embryos to increase your chances of having a baby, but you then end up with twins, you should get discounts because you didn’t want twins? Obviously that’s not the only way you get twins but you couldn’t make the rules so specific, it’d have to apply to anyone with twins

Twins can be expensive, we found things like car seats the worst because you can’t buy second hand and you need to buy twice the number.

School shoes also, for the same reason although lots of shoe shops will offer a twin discount if you ask them.

On the other hand there are advantages too. Two babies but only one mat leave, which means you only have one career gap.

Your children will always have an age appropriate playmate, you move through the prams/high chairs/nappies phase much faster because your children aren't spaced out.

Now we have two at university I can tell you it’s eye watering but at least it’s for a short time only, I have a friend who worked out that they’ll be funding uni for 12 years in a row.

It is very hard when they are little but it gets easier as you go on. 💐

That’s exactly what I’m saying - it should apply to everyone with twins.

What do you want? Everyone pays for each of their children. Why should twins or more be any different?

It's a risk/choice you make when you decide to get pregnant that there might be more than one. No one forces you to get pregnant so of course you shouldn't expect extra discounts.

What about families with children a year apart?

Where draw the line?

I am saying it applies to anyone with twins. I was just offering another perspective. I am highlighting what a disadvantage it can be for some families.

It’s so expensive to have a baby, let alone two. Why shouldn’t they be entitled to additional support?

Who funds it? What about those who have an accidental second baby, why doesn’t it apply to them? Do triplets get further discounts?

Also why would you get discounts if you pick twins on purpose during IVF??

I have 3 boys so have passed lots of clothes down between them. Should someone with a boy and a girl get extra child benefit as they can't pass down clothes as much?

Cor, the lack of empathy on this thread is pretty astounding.

Discriminatory? Pahahahaha

I would have thought having twins is the cheapest way of having 2 children so Yabu. 1 party, share clothes etc etc

Sadly the activities/club bit doesn't always work like that, waiting until two spaces come up on the waiting list eg for swimming lessons means that you wait a looooong time as they pass to the next single child rather than hold an empty space.

And my twins at least had different interests which meant that I was often trying to juggle getting two children to different places at the same time (common for singleton parents too of course)

Because getting pregnant - and the inherent risk of multiple it brings - is a CHOICE

This thread isn’t about empathy, it’s about finances.

People with 2 kids also have to pay double for everything. It’s just life with kids.

I think there are just as many upsides. Only taking one maternity leave for example. Only ever having the one pickup/dropoff. Never having to pack away stuff for the next baby. I love the efficiency of it!

Not all twins can share clothes. I have boy girl twins but on top of that they were entirely different shapes so couldnt share clothes.

It’s really important for twins to have things that are just “theirs”. They need their own toys, clothes etc.

We did have joint parties when they were little but you still need to invite twice the children as they each need to invite their own friends.

As they aged they had separate parties, usually on the same weekend. (Exhausting!)

I agree that there are both positivee and negatives to having twins, as other posters have said. blBut it absolutely is much more expensive when they are babies, as well as being much more challenging.

For those asking, the difference between having twins and just having two close together is that you have no control over getting twins. If you chose to have your kids within a year of each other then that's really on you.

Twins Trust offers some discounts and general support if you need it OP.

It looks like it’s in the parenting thread, so why can’t it be about both empathy and finances, hmm?

Well it can be, but that’s not what the OP asked, it’s their thread not yours