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Do stupid questions run in your family?

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Wide White: Do stupid questions run in your family?

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Do stupid questions run in your family?

If you have twins, you've been asked, "So, do twins run in your family?" If you've met someone who has twins, you've probably asked that question. Heck, I've probably asked that question.

And those with twins have probably been asked this question at least once a week. For those who've been parents of twins for more than 4 1/2 months, please tell me this question stops.

Here are some answers I've come up with.

1. They do now! [I tend to use this one the most.]
2. Not yet, they aren't even walking yet.
3. Do pointless questions run in your family? [Answer a question with a question, always a nice tactic.]
4. No, but we knew we'd have twins anyway. We figured our family was due.

Seriously, why does it matter? If they did run in my family, does that mean I would have bought a double stroller as soon as the pregnancy test came back positive? If they didn't run in my family, would I have lived in a state of denial until the birth, knowing there was NO WAY a family in which twins didn't run could possibly come up with twins!?

The full answer: Jamie's family has minimal history of twins (she has to dig back into great-grandparents and other very extended relatives before any twins show up in the family tree). There are a few twins on my mom's side of the family (my cousins are twins), but since I'm not the one producing two eggs in this relationship, my family history is completely irrelevant as to whether or not we're genetically likely to have twins.

One of the worst questions came at the hospital of all places. A nurse at the front desk actually asked, "Are they Clomid twins?"

Really?!? Who asks someone what method they used to conceive their children? And how do you respond? "Nope, we went au naturel. Lots of time in bed together, no meds needed to make these little guys happen."

There is one advantage to all of these twins questions. If you're someone whose wit is always a half-step too slow, don't worry. You'll have plenty of opportunities to refine your answer to the questions you will hear over and over and over...

5 Comments:

Blogger Keithslady declared,

Reminds me a little of, "Boy, you must have your hands full."

Reminds me more of, "How do you do it?" (In regards to raising any number of children that is higher than what they have.)

I've said, "I don't know," and "Only by the grace of God," but my favorite is, "Badly." I keep it deadpan and watch them go deer-in-the-headlights.

7/01/2010 12:31 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous declared,

I'm sure I've asked those and other stupid questions of people. Not because I was feeling particularly stupid....but because geez, sometimes it's nice to engage people and you just aren't sure where to start.

Hopefully we'll see you soon, I'm sure I/we will give you plenty of practice for your wittiness :) Hee hee.

Katie

7/01/2010 7:05 AM  
Blogger Joey declared,

Katie, I thought of that and I'm sure I've asked the same question with the same reason.

The thing is we all expect certain questions like, "How did you meet?" or, "Where did you get married?" These aren't questions you ask a total stranger though. You ask them of people you're getting to know.

What's striking with these questions is they're coming from total strangers we meet on the street or in the store who stop to look at the kids. It's like these are basic facts that they naturally must know about the kids. That's what makes it odd to me. It wouldn't be odd if this was our second time having dinner with a new family we just met. It's very odd when it's a complete stranger.

And Mom, even with just the 2 little ones, I get the "hands full" one a lot. Not so much the "How do you do it?" yet. I like "Badly."

7/01/2010 11:10 AM  
Blogger Just January declared,

Joey, this is cracking me up, especially the title, because for a long period of time I dreamed of asking that very same question to every single soul that asked me "are you going to have twins" (because I am a twin//as if I know the answer to that question --- I'm NOT PREGNANT!) - and they usually follow it up with "is your sister named February?" (or some other insulting/shameful/dull quid pro quo). On the bright side, it does produce patience --- hopefully.

Keep bloggin :)

7/01/2010 3:55 PM  
Blogger Joey declared,

January, I never thought of the questions that twins are probably asked. Funny! I especially like the question about your sister's name.

7/01/2010 4:16 PM  

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