ABSTRACT
By the end of the second year of the twins’ lives their families were beginning to see the light again. Sleepless nights, frantic activity, and endless fatigue were starting to recede. The twins were beginning to be a bit more independent and slightly more cognisant of the various dangers and perils surrounding them. By now they had reached that much-yearned-for stage when they started to play together and entertain themselves. Other forms of entertainment such as television and cartoons also gave caregivers a break. Parents also felt able to go out some evenings. Four couples with especially supportive alternative caregivers ventured as far as having short holidays alone. They all admitted to feeling ‘strange’ without the constant presence and noise of the twins. One mother remarked, ‘Being away with my husband without the twins made me realise how much our life as a couple has changed forever. I needed a break and some freedom and intimacy, but I also missed the children. We are a family now and the twins are inextricably part of our existence.’
