8 Interesting Things for the Family Photobook

It's that time of the year again where I start putting together the family photobook. I started the family photo book tradition after the twins were born and it's always a joy to go through the books and revisit the memories.

But, (and this is a little but) I find some of the earlier photobooks I put together a little boring. E.g, with the first photobook, I didn't even know that I could caption the photos or crop them. I've come a long way since then and THIS photobook is going to be the best yet because now I have actual ideas of things to include in the book to make it less boring. 

Our lives have in no way been boring in 2014 and our photobook should reflect this. In no particular order, here are some fun things that this year's family photobook will include:

1. Photos of the kids with their favorite toys or books 
2. Quotable quotes (including birthday interviews)
3. Anecdotes of funny things that happened
4. Memorable crafts and artwork. Either scanned of picture of the girls with the art
5. Journal entries and/or blog posts or letters by the parents maybe even handwritten and scanned
6. Pictures with school friends, teachers and visiting family members - the people who make up the circle of love but sometimes get left out of photobooks
7. Map and road signs from our vacation(s)
8. Photos from our everyday life - things along the way as we commute, the house, the front door, their bedroom etc (I won't use this pic, I just have it on file for future guilt-tripping purposes)




And of course ALL the photos from our photoshoot with a professional (in the past I used to choose just a few and I have absolutely no logical explanation for why.)

And of course words! Plenty of words.

I've been truly inspired by ideas I founds online especially on this post and now all I have to do is decide on which photobook provider to use.  

A Lesson on Speaking Up

Last year

Me: Baby why is there sand on your hair?

Spice: Charles* put sand in my hair

Me: Did you like it?

Spice: No

Me: Did you tell him to stop?

Spice: No

Me: Next time, if your friends do something you don't like, you tell them "no, no, no" and if they don't listen, you talk to your teacher ok?

Spice: Ok mummy.

Last Month

Sugar: I don't like Eric*

Me: Why not?

Sugar: He kissed me

Me: Did you tell him no?

Sugar: Yes and I talk to Ms Anna*

Me: Good. If your friends do things you don't like, you always tell them "no" and "stop it" and you talk to your teacher

Sugar: Yes!

After 2 minutes

Me: And nobody except mummy and daddy are allowed to kiss you ok?

Both girls: Ok

Spice: Eric* is loving me 

Me: How do you know Eric* loves you?

Spice: Because he kissed me (Her love language is physical touch so....)

Me: NOBODY IS ALLOWED TO KISS YOU EXCEPT MUMMY AND DADDY, OK?!

Me: (mumbling to myself) And that Eric* is lucky he's only 3 years old!!!!

The girls have been in full-time childcare since they were 5 months old and so have had a lot of interactions with their peers in classroom settings. With those interactions have come a few negatives like the girls being on the receiving end of bites, sand in hair, shoves etc. It's the age and I know most of the kids mean no harm but still, this is the time to start teaching my babies assertiveness so that they do not become bully-fodder in the future. It's surprising to note that even though my twins can be assertive when dealing with each other, it doesn't always carry over to when dealing with their peers

I've learnt that being twins does not give them a big advantage in terms of socialization and peer-group interactions. I've still had to work on teaching the girls to speak up, assert themselves and talk to a person of authority if and whenever they are in situations they don't like among their peers. It's still a work in progress and I'm not always sure I'm giving them the utmost best advice. However, I know the daycare environment is a really safe one compared to kindergarten and I want them to get as much practice on assertiveness now. 

Twin Parenting Lesson 6: Being born a twin does not necessarily equip you with extra social skills. Some things still have to be taught