Is having twins really growing trend in Korea?
.jpg?w=728)
By Jane Han
As we know, Korea is a country full of fads. From food, clothes and cosmetics to even language, fast-changing trends influence people’s decisions. Lately, what’s been interesting is that I’ve heard that even couples having twins is part of a growing trend here.
Really? Really.
Now you may wonder how and why on earth producing two babies at once can possibly become “popular.”
There’s actually a pretty clear and convincing primary reason.
As more Koreans are choosing to marry later, couples are finding it tougher to conceive naturally. And so they are turning to artificial insemination or in-vitro fertilization, which has recently led to a spike in the number of multiples in Korea.
Also interestingly, popular reality TV show “Superman Returns” seems to be playing a big part.
I haven’t followed this show all that closely, but apparently actor Song Il-gook’s triplets and comedian Lee Hwi-jae’s twins are totally stealing the show with their cuteness. But based on the few episodes I’ve seen so far, it seems as if their weekly TV appearances highlight the fun part of raising multiples.
I found myself to be so absorbed by Lee’s twin boys that, at one point, I even forgot that I have my own set of twins.
I can definitely tell how popular this show is because pretty much every random person who comments on my twin girls ends the conversation with reference to either Lee’s twins or Song’s triplets.
It’s become some sort of conversation formula. I’m sure that parents of multiples in Korea understand what I mean. So back to the twin trend — is having twins really as fun as people think?
I say yes all the way.
In fact, it’s probably more fun than what people see on TV. But the catch is, it’s also probably a dozen times more difficult and draining than what people think.
But hey, you can’t have everything.
I’ve never raised a child who was not a twin before so I can only imagine what having a single child is like. But when I see my twins playing, running around the house, wrestling, feeding each other and just doing their usual thing, I’m always thankful that there are two of them.
I’m sure having a singleton is a heavenly experience, but I don’t know for sure yet. I’ll have more to say about that when I experience it myself in just three weeks.
But so far, I can confidently say that giving birth to twins is the best thing I’ve ever done.
Now that’s the bright side.
As much as multiples make parenting double the fun, they can also drive moms and dads downright crazy.
For moms, doing everything twice for Baby A and B alone is a full-time job.
Patience is something I can never have enough of. Ever since the twins were born, I even started saying a separate prayer asking God for patience.
And, no, I’m not joking. Parents of twins will yet again understand what I mean.
As far as money goes, many people think raising twins will cost double the money, but that’s actually not entirely true.
There are some areas where parents can end up saving money by raising two at once. For example, hiring a nanny for, say, three years may be cheaper than using one for a longer period of time to raise two children separately.
As I sit here trying to write a compelling piece about the pros and cons of twins, I can hear my two girls simultaneously snoring away right next to me.
Yes, 17-month-old babies snore too after a long and hard day of playing.
Honestly, just a quick glance at them makes this wordy column seem meaningless.
Whether you’re hoping for twins to become part of the current fad or for another reason, take it from this mom of twins. No matter how tough and frustrating running after two same-aged little ones can be, they’re so worth everything.
It’s as simple as that.