Tips on drawing less attention to multiples in public places

Judee Sunderland and Gillian Norrie Share their Tips and Tactics they have employed to disguise their multiples in public, or at least draw less attention to them. You know how the public can be…

Parents of multiples agree that one of the hardest things to deal with is drawing extra attention in public places. “People will ask you about just about anything from your medical history, finances - making some pretty and incredibly rude comments about your family”

These are just some tactics Judee and I have employed to that may help you

• Avoid eye contact and keep moving. It’s harder to notice extra babies in a fast-moving stroller, especially if it’s a large stroller

• When they are old enough to go in bigger carriers – like 2 in a stroller or jogger and another in a front body carrier- this breaks up the children/ and you can swiftly move past people before the notice.

• Consider dressing multiples in different styles; coordinating outfits attract more attention. This doesn’t even work for me- cause I have same sex and my boys have the same hair color….you still encounter questions are stares.

• Finally, prepare a short but swift answer that allows you to quickly escape an interrogation session. A negative answer to the pesky “Are they triplets?” question stops the conversation in its tracks YES! – and keep moving.

“People get so excited when they see multiples and then seem to lose their heads.” I have had people walk into polls, drop their ice cream, spill their drinks and yes I have on occasion said that I am the Nanny- just to avoid further questions from a crowd - that reminds me- I need to have a T-shirt that says that on it [coming soon the MOM store].

I have + and still are teaching my boys about public questions – regarding them earlier when they were little people would want to touch them – which was a little scary…so we would usually have a perimeter to
intercept people.

Here are just a few questions Judee and I have endured:

• Are they Triplets?
• Which one is older?- how many minutes apart
• Why is one taller?
• You’ve got your hands full
• Did you breast feed?
• How much they weighed at birth?
• Did you have them “naturally?”
• How many eggs did you have ?
• Which one is the good one?
• How come their names don’t match?
• How do you tell them apart?
• Do they do everything together?
• Was it easy getting pregnant
• Are you their MOM?- is my favorite + I usually reply I am just the Nanny
• How much weight did you gain? I bet you were a horse….
• Does Triplets run in your family?
• How do you do it? (Do what??? Do I give them back?)
• They don’t look alike, what happened?
• Do they have the same Dad?
• Do they fight?
• How OLD were you when you had the triplets?
• Are they all OK?
• Do they have learning disabilities?
• The boy – he just does not have a chance….
• Did you have help when they were little?
• Are you working? I know your husband has to work 2 jobs….
• You had fertility, didn’t you?
• You are brave…not me….
• Your husband must want to leave the house…
• WOW, hope you are saving for college NOW…
• How old will you be, when they go to college (swiftly turn your back and walk away)

Share your photos, Share your moments of receiving some of those awkward stares and questions from the public eye. We would like to hear your stories - Share links and events on with Matters of Multiples with flickr, Join us on Facebook or follow and talk with us on Twitter@multiplesmoms

April 2009 - Multiple Birth Awareness month!

Hosts: Judee Sunderland and Gillian Norrie Celebrate and Share the Joy!
April 2009 - Multiple Birth Awareness month in the United States. Help create an awareness!

This is the very first year for Multiple Birth Awareness Month in April, sponsored by the National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs Inc., TWINS Magazine and Fetal Hope Foundation.

It’s all about the Multiples!- Multiple births in general are on the rise. With increased births, comes an increased concern regarding the health and well being of multiple birth children. (source CDC)

Bring and share awareness of this special Month with local support clubs, educators, medical professionals and media personnel across the country.

Share your photos, links and events on with Matters of Multiples with flickr, be a fan on Facebook or listen to (mom) episodes on itunes and podcast alley.

10 Consignment Sale Tips

As a Mother of Triplets and a Savy Shopper, I have done my share of consignment sales and I’d like to share some small tips for evaluating your efforts in participating in a children’s sale. Check out all our video footage and our behind the scenes of a recent consignment sale Gillian and I just participated in!

1. Start Early and Plan Ahead. Give your self at least a month. You need to exam all clothing, shoes, toys, and books to make sure there are no stains, tears, buttons missing, shoes scarred, pages torn, toys still work.
2. Read the Sale Instructions. Each sale has the types of hangars to use, types of tags to use, how to place the information on the tags, how to attach the tag to the item – tape vs pins, etc. Do you enter the information manually, or do you have to use a computer?
3. Clean Large Items. Invest in some Mr Clean scour pads. All items need to be in working order.
4. Batteries for All Toys. When buyers try the toy, it should turn on and work.
5. Required Clothing Racks. Some sales require clothing racks that must be metal and very sturdy. You can find these racks at WalMart, Target, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, etc. They should be on rollers, so they can move clothes easily. 
You also need to consider hangars. In my experience use the covered coated hangars, that are sturdier, than the dry-cleaner wire hangars. These are just thick enough to get safety pins around them and secure the clothes to the hangars. If you use the thick plastic hangars, pins cannot surround their width.
6. Working the sale. Check the working shifts and see what discounts pertain to those shifts. If you don’t want to work the shift at all, then there is another percentage of sale that is applied to your sold itmes. Another question is how much does the organization keep and how much do you receive for the item, they should be somewhere around 10%, or you should just take the items to a consignment store, but their overhead is greater.
7. Some sales require the clothes to be organized by sex and size before you drop off the items, some sales don’t require you to. You need to find out each sales preference.
8. Working the Sale. There is a specified time for you to shop – usually before public access. This does give sellers a benefit since you get first options on the latest styles at a cheaper than retail prices.
Some sales have a 1/2 price day – usually the last day of their sale, to move out the inventory. The prices are usually circled or marked in some fashion, so the public knows that is they wait until the end of the sale, they might be able to pick up that item at 1/2 price of the original price. The catch is, Will that item be there on the last day?
9. Items That Don’t Sell. You have the option to donate that item, or take it back home with you for the next sale. This is up to the seller. Some sellers attend lots of consignment sales, and they just move their inventory from one sale to another or wait for the next season….it just depends on how much time they want to spend attending sales and how much storage room they have in their home to wait for another season. From my experience, if the item does not sell in 2 sales, then donate it.
 Each sale has different charities they want to donate to and it is the seller’s preference if they want to participate.
10. Receiving your check. 2 days after the sale, 2 months after the sale? Is there system automated or is everything manually created? These are questions you need to find out prior- so you can plan ahead and budget with timing when you will receive your check and plan ahead how it can be used towards new seasons growth of articles and items.

Welcome to Matters of Multiples

Matters of Multiples is a podcast and web site where moms discuss and interview experts on living with and raising multiples. Matters of Multiples is a resource for busy moms, dads, grandparents and others interested in multiples.

Our podcasts cover everything from advice on expecting twins, triplets and more; having them; to raising and living with multiples. Discussing health, learning and living for kids and parents.

Both Judee and Gillian have triplets and discuss with each other as well as interview many experts to gain perspective and help for everyone living with multiples and all the matters of multiples!