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“Their Responsibility”: Parent Flat Out Denies School’s Inane Request Involving Twin Sons
Worried parent holding forehead, reflecting on school request to make twins less similar for easier distinction.

“Their Responsibility”: Parent Flat Out Denies School’s Inane Request Involving Twin Sons

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Life can be interesting if you have a twin sibling. Apart from being able to prank people by confusing them, there’s a special bond between two people who were born a mere minutes apart. 

Life can also be complicated if you have a twin sibling. You may run into issues as these two boys did with their school’s medical officer, who had trouble telling them apart

This moment of confusion urged the school official to make an absurd request to one of the boys’ parents, a conversation that didn’t end well. 

RELATED:

    Having a twin sibling has its upsides and downsides

    Twin boys in matching school uniforms and glasses, illustrating parent refuses to make twins less similar for school.

    Image credits: MaplesImages (not the actual photo)

    For these two boys, the problem began with their school’s medical officer

    Parent refuses to make twin sons less similar despite school’s request to distinguish them easier.

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    Parent refuses to make their twins less similar, highlighting challenges in distinguishing them at school.

    Text discussing twins in school wearing identical uniforms, with similar scores and shared group placements despite different friendships.

    Text excerpt about twins attending Chess Club, rarely interacting at school, sometimes called by the wrong name despite attending since September.

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    Parent refuses to make twins less similar for easier school distinction amid medication permissions.

    Text excerpt about parent refusal to make twins less similar for school to distinguish them easier.

    Text image stating a parent refusing to make their twins less similar despite school requests regarding medication.

    Text discussing a parent refusing to make their twins less similar for easier school distinction despite medical concerns.

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    Text discussing refusal of a parent to make their twins less similar for easier school distinction by staff.

    Text excerpt explaining 11-year-old twins refusing to be made less similar for easier school identification.

    Text about a parent refusing to make their twins less similar for the school's easier distinction.

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    Worried mother sitting at a desk, contemplating the school request to make her twins less similar for easier distinction.

    Image credits: drazenphoto (not the actual photo)

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    Text discussing a parent refusing to make their twins less similar so the school can distinguish them easier.

    Image source: Top-Relationship359

    People with twin siblings often deal with an identity crisis

    Like most people with a twin sibling, the two boys in the story likely struggled with their fair share of identity issues. According to educational consultant Dr. Barbara Klein, this is because identity development among twin children is already riddled with critical issues. 

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    “Closeness breeds companionship, love, and struggles about who is who and what belongs to which one,” Dr. Klein wrote, adding that single children rarely wonder about “What belongs to me and what to you?” 

    Dr. Klein’s study has extensively focused on the development of twin identities. In another article, she listed the common hardships of being a twin, which included being compared to one another, even by strangers. 

    Dr. Klein adds that such comparisons often create chaos, which people without twin siblings may find “ridiculous.” 

    “Depending on who is evaluating the pair, these obnoxious questions/comments cause competition and sadness for the less confident twin,” she added. 

    It was unprofessional of the school’s medical officer to try to pass off her obligations to the boys’ parent. Worse, her comments about having the two become “easy to distinguish” were likewise rude and likely reinforced any identity crisis the children may already have been dealing with. 

    The author’s reaction would be the same as any other person’s in the same situation. They were correct in saying that it was the school’s responsibility to have the right child.

    Most commenters sided with the boys’ parent

    Text of a parent refusing to make twins less similar for easier school distinction, emphasizing different names for clarity.

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    Screenshot of a forum comment discussing a parent refusing to make their twins less similar for easier school identification.

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    Comment about confirming a child’s identity, related to parent refusing to make twins less similar for school distinction.

    Comment advising to avoid conflict when distinguishing twins, related to parent refusing to make twins less similar.

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    Comment discussing school medication management and the parent refusing to make their twins less similar for identification.

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    Comment discussing a parent refusing to make their twins less similar despite school uniform rules for easier distinction.

    Comment discussing challenges in administering medication and issues with school medical officer for twins hard to distinguish

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    Text comment suggesting temporary tattoos to help distinguish similar twins amid a parent refusing to make twins less similar.

    Comment discussing safety concerns and verifying identity when administering medication to twins at school.

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    Parent refuses to make twins less similar as school struggles to distinguish identical twins for medication safety.

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    Comment discussing a parent refusing to make their twins less similar for easier school identification before giving medication.

    Reddit comment emphasizing verification of the five rights in medication administration by a parent of twins refusing to alter their similarity.

    Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing a parent refusing to make their twins less similar for school identification.

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    Reddit comment discussing parent refusing to make twins less similar for easier school distinction.

    Comment discussing parent refusing to make twins less similar as school struggles to distinguish them.

    Reddit comment discussing challenges of distinguishing twins and refusing to alter their similarity for easier school identification.

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    Comment on social media about a parent refusing to make their twins less similar for easier school identification.

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    Teacher explains challenges of distinguishing similar twins and supports parent refusing to make twins less similar at school.

    Comment emphasizing parent refuses to make twins less similar despite school difficulties distinguishing them, calling school ridiculous.

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    Parent refuses to make twins less similar as the school struggles to distinguish them with visible identifiers.

    Comment discussing twins capable of identifying themselves and refusing to make them less similar for school distinction purposes.

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    Comment text on a forum discussing a parent refusing to make their twins less similar for easier school identification.

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    Miguel Ordoñez

    Miguel Ordoñez

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    Struggling writer by day. Frustrated jazz drummer by night. Space Cowboy 24/7.

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    Miguel Ordoñez

    Miguel Ordoñez

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Struggling writer by day. Frustrated jazz drummer by night. Space Cowboy 24/7.

    Ieva Pečiulytė

    Ieva Pečiulytė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

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    I'm a Visual Editor for Bored Panda. I’m also an analog collage artist. My love for images and experience in layering goes well with both creating collages by hand and working with digital images as an Editor. When I’m not using my kitchen area as an art studio I also do various experiments making my own cosmetics or brewing kombucha. When I’m not at home you would most definitely find me attending a concert or walking my dog.

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    Ieva Pečiulytė

    Ieva Pečiulytė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I'm a Visual Editor for Bored Panda. I’m also an analog collage artist. My love for images and experience in layering goes well with both creating collages by hand and working with digital images as an Editor. When I’m not using my kitchen area as an art studio I also do various experiments making my own cosmetics or brewing kombucha. When I’m not at home you would most definitely find me attending a concert or walking my dog.

    Rugilė Žemaitytė

    Rugilė Žemaitytė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

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    As a Visual Editor at Bored Panda, my favorite part of the job involves browsing the web for the cutest cat pics, the funniest memes and eye-catching illustrations to brighten up your day!

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    Rugilė Žemaitytė

    Rugilė Žemaitytė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    As a Visual Editor at Bored Panda, my favorite part of the job involves browsing the web for the cutest cat pics, the funniest memes and eye-catching illustrations to brighten up your day!

    What do you think ?
    Lee Gilliland
    Community Member
    Premium
    21 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What precisely did they expect mom to do, dye one blue with Rit?

    Huddo's sister
    Community Member
    18 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have heard of parents painting the nails of each twin differently, but that is for babies, not 11 year olds.

    Load More Replies...
    Fellfromthemoon
    Community Member
    9 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The medical officer didn't realize that the two children get the same medication, only in different form? I guess anybody can be a medical officer then.

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    FreeTheUnicorn
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If the kids were lying about their identities for some kind of medication scam, maybe the school would have a point but isn't it a legal requirement to confirm a patient's name before giving meds?

    Load More Comments
    Lee Gilliland
    Community Member
    Premium
    21 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What precisely did they expect mom to do, dye one blue with Rit?

    Huddo's sister
    Community Member
    18 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have heard of parents painting the nails of each twin differently, but that is for babies, not 11 year olds.

    Load More Replies...
    Fellfromthemoon
    Community Member
    9 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The medical officer didn't realize that the two children get the same medication, only in different form? I guess anybody can be a medical officer then.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    FreeTheUnicorn
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If the kids were lying about their identities for some kind of medication scam, maybe the school would have a point but isn't it a legal requirement to confirm a patient's name before giving meds?

    Load More Comments
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