Issues resulting from labeling twins

Joan Friedman, PhD Psychologist & Twin Expert, explains why parents should avoid labeling twins and the negative consequences that labeling can lead to as the twins grow older
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Issues resulting from labeling twins

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We should avoid labeling twins because labels stick and they create limiting, self fulfilling prophecies. While people have good intentions to try to use labels to distinguish one twin from the other, it has a lot of unintended consequences . Labels take such forms as he is the athletic one, she is the artsy one, he is the outgoing one, she is the shy one. But unfortunately for twins these labels end up staying with them well into adulthood. For singletons, however, they can take on many personas and many labels. They have the freedom and the capability of going through their life and changing this. So our goal really has to be to educate our family and friends and professionals about the importance of not labeling twins.

Joan Friedman, PhD Psychologist & Twin Expert, explains why parents should avoid labeling twins and the negative consequences that labeling can lead to as the twins grow older

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Joan Friedman, PhD

Psychologist & Twin Expert

Dr. Joan A. Friedman is a prominent and well-respected twin expert who shares her passionate views and insights about twins and their emotional needs with twins and their families throughout the world. The fact that she is an identical twin and the mother of five, including fraternal twin sons, makes her ideally suited to this task. Her commitment to twin research and her treatment of twins of all ages demonstrate the breadth and depth of her skills and experience. She conducts ongoing groups for parents of twins and provides consultation on twin related matters such as school placements, developmental discrepancies, and behavioral issues.

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Transcription: 
We should avoid labeling twins because labels stick and they create limiting, self fulfilling prophecies. While people have good intentions to try to use labels to distinguish one twin from the other, it has a lot of unintended consequences . Labels take such forms as he is the athletic one, she is the artsy one, he is the outgoing one, she is the shy one. But unfortunately for twins these labels end up staying with them well into adulthood. For singletons, however, they can take on many personas and many labels. They have the freedom and the capability of going through their life and changing this. So our goal really has to be to educate our family and friends and professionals about the importance of not labeling twins.