Twin day at elemetary school

[auntie_em]

We didn’t have Twin Days until high school, and it was still semi-tragic for me. Not because I didn’t have a twin, but because I wound up an unintentional and ersatz triplet.

Ever since kindergarten I’d been kinda-sorta friends with a gal, Melanie, who had the same last name as I did. (Consequently, people constantly asked if we were sisters, and finally we started lying and saying “Yes”. Unfortunately, decades later (in my mid-20s) I ran into someone with whom I’d gone to elementary school, and she mentioned having seen Melanie recently. I replied glibly that I hadn’t seen or heard from her since high school, and asked how she was, to which the girl leveled a semi-disgusted look at me and asked incredulously, “Isn’t she your sister?”)

So on the day before Twin Day, I suggested to Melanie that we should be “Twins” the next day. She replied that she’d be wearing black jeans and a red sweatshirt (hey, it was the mid-80s). Wow, she really plans ahead, I thought . . . in retrospect, of course, I can’t believe I didn’t catch on sooner.

Twin Day comes, and there I am in my red henley (it was as close as I could get) and semi-faded black Gloria Vanderbilt jeans with black ankle boots. And in walk Melanie and her best friend Debbie, in brand new identical black Levi’s, identical red sweatshirts, huge matching red bows in their hair, and matching black Chuck Taylor hi-tops. (see previous parenthetical comment about the 80s).

So there I was, looking all Single White Female (only Black, and . . . well, a few years before anyone would actually coin that reference) and desperate to be in the club.

It still hurts. :o

As for the OP, I’m curious - what would happen if your son and his two friends dressed as triplets? I mean, what are they gonna do, send a note home? (Surely they wouldn’t send the kid home . . . right?) I suppose that could get the other two kids in hot water, but since your son would have your permission to flout the rules . . .

As an alternative, I vote for including a fourth child.

[Scarlett67]

@UncleBeer

Do they still teach the three R’s in elementary school? Or is it all just some bullshit babysitting service now? How on earth does such a foolish stunt promote education of children?

My 9th grade algebra teacher used to give kids (the ones he liked) extra credit for dressing up in costume for class. No shit. He was an asshole in other ways as well.

[auntie_em]

'Scuse the double post. I just really needed to tell my story, I guess . . .

[furt]

@deadeyesdad

The boy’s teacher has said only 2 can pair up.

Is this really a big deal TO THE KIDS, or is it all your projection. If so, then get over it. It won’t be a deep and lasting scar.

If OTOH, your kids are well and truly stressed out, either find a fourth kid (best option IMO) or else just screw 'im and have them go as triplets. Maybe send a note or call saying the kids were deeply stressed over it. What’s he gonna do, expel them?
And am I the only that’s never heard of “twin day?” What’s the point of it? Seems custom-made for unnecessarily increasing social anxiety.

[LilyoftheValley]

I had never heard of Twin Day before this thread, and I have to say I’m stunned. Who on earth who actually works with kids thinks this is a good idea? I see a ton of negative outcomes of this idea, and next-to-no benefit.

I am a former teacher, and I’m all for making school enjoyable, but this is just idiotic. If I had to deal with the social aftermath of this in my classroom, I’d be beyond pissed.

[UncleBeer]

@Scarlett67

My 9th grade algebra teacher used to give kids (the ones he liked) extra credit for dressing up in costume for class. No shit. He was an asshole in other ways as well.

Gawd. You’re right - an asshole.

@LilyoftheValley

I had never heard of Twin Day before this thread, and I have to say I’m stunned. Who on earth who actually works with kids thinks this is a good idea? I see a ton of negative outcomes of this idea, and next-to-no benefit.

Exactly. The social situation can be traumatic enough for many kids - without the school administration providing yet more opportunities and pointless, potentially-divisive distractions.

[deadeyesdad]

Thanks for the help. I just wanted some reassurance that we weren’t being totally oversensitive. The boys are 11, if that makes any difference to any of you and probably could get away with pulling some smart ass take your twin rules and shove it move.

[Shagnasty]

@furt

And am I the only that’s never heard of “twin day?” What’s the point of it? Seems custom-made for unnecessarily increasing social anxiety.

I had never heard of twin day before this thread. I can’t imagine why someone thought it was a good idea at any time.

[missbunny]

@laina_f

I suggest that your son and his two friends include a fourth child and that all four of them dress identically. If the fourth child is a girl, better yet. If a teacher objects, the kids should say that they were “thinking outside the box”.

laina_f, that is a great idea.

Twin Day must have been invented after the Dark Ages, when I was a kid, but I can tell you I would have hated it. Just another way to show who always gets picked last for kickball.

And whoever made up the ridiculous “twin day means TWO KIDS ONLY!” rule is a complete ass. They are little kids. Who the F cares if it’s just two kids dressing alike or three or four or whatever. It’s not like anyone is really going to really think they are the same person. Gee, the whole thing could be solved by calling it “Identicals Day” or “Invasion of the Clones Day.” Then it wouldn’t matter how many kids dressed alike.

[tdn]

@missbunny

And whoever made up the ridiculous “twin day means TWO KIDS ONLY!” rule is a complete ass.

No shit. What if there is an odd number of kids in the school? By definition someone has to get left out.

My solution would be to just arrive in street clothes. When queried on who my twin was, I’d mumble something about him being out sick.

[missbunny]

@tdn

No shit. What if there is an odd number of kids in the school? By definition someone has to get left out.

And the only thing that could possibly be worse than being the odd kid left in the class is having the teacher say, “Oh, you can team up with me for Twin Day! Won’t that be fun?” O the mortification of knowing that not only did nobody want you on their team/on their side/as their twin, now you have to endure being called a suck-up brown-noser for “teaming” with the teacher.

This thread is giving me horrible flashbacks and is raising my blood pressure. I have to leave now.

[MovieMogul]

@LilyoftheValley

I had never heard of Twin Day before this thread, and I have to say I’m stunned. Who on earth who actually works with kids thinks this is a good idea? I see a ton of negative outcomes of this idea, and next-to-no benefit.

I am a former teacher, and I’m all for making school enjoyable, but this is just idiotic. If I had to deal with the social aftermath of this in my classroom, I’d be beyond pissed.

What shocked me even more is that auntie em says they practiced “twin day” (a new concept for me as well) in high school?!?!? Holy crap, wouldn’t this be something most kids would outgrow by age 12?

[Left_Hand_of_Dorkness]

@UncleBeer

Do they still teach the three R’s in elementary school? Or is it all just some bullshit babysitting service now? How on earth does such a foolish stunt promote education of children?

The theory, probably, is that it’s something fun for kids to do, and kids who associate school with doing something fun are likelier to engage with school in general, and kids that engage with school are likelier to be willing to engage with academic material. It’s a fine theory, as long as the fun doesn’t replace the learning.

And the twin day sounds perfectly harmless to me; I’m kind of shocked by the strong emotions it’s engendering in folks here. Are these real emotions, or are these just Pit emotions, where people blow gaskets over literally the stupidest things on earth? I’m confused.

Daniel

[baronsabato]

I remember having Twin Day a couple times in middle school and high school.

However, it wasn’t nearly as stressful or socially competitive as the situation the OP describes. I went to a public school where we didn’t have uniforms, and Twin Day was just another one of those “special” days that no-one ever participated in except the kids who organized it (i.e., the ASB). Kinda like Carry-Your-Favorite-Stuffed-Animal Day and Wear-Pajamas-To-School Day.

Yes yes, I know. High school was ridiculous.

[auntie_em]

We did it one day every year, during homecoming week (other homecoming “dress up” days included PJs Day, Inside Out & Backwards Day, etc.).

But now that I think about it, you’re absolutely right, Archive Guy.

[Scarlett67]

@Left Hand of Dorkness

The theory, probably, is that it’s something fun for kids to do, and kids who associate school with doing something fun

The trouble is that some of us learned to associate school with getting picked on and left out every damn day.

[/quote]
And the twin day sounds perfectly harmless to me; I’m kind of shocked by the strong emotions it’s engendering in folks here.
[/QUOTE]

I’m thinking that perhaps you weren’t ever the kid who didn’t have any friends, who always stuck out and never fit in. To have that sort of ostracism sanctioned by school is even worse.

[Marley23]

@baronsabato

I remember having Twin Day a couple times in middle school and high school.

However, it wasn’t nearly as stressful or socially competitive as the situation the OP describes. I went to a public school where we didn’t have uniforms, and Twin Day was just another one of those “special” days that no-one ever participated in except the kids who organized it (i.e., the ASB). Kinda like Carry-Your-Favorite-Stuffed-Animal Day and Wear-Pajamas-To-School Day.

That matches my experience at a non-uniformed public school, except it was moderately popular among the school spirit-having folk. Yet another problem solved by school uniforms.

[Left_Hand_of_Dorkness]

@Scarlett67

I’m thinking that perhaps you weren’t ever the kid who didn’t have any friends, who always stuck out and never fit in. To have that sort of ostracism sanctioned by school is even worse.

I certainly wasn’t popular, but I had a group of nerd friends; so no, I guess i wasn’t that kind of kid. I don’t deny that that’s a sucky place to be; I’m just wondering whether Twin Day and its ilk really made the suckiness that much worse.

People in the Pit have a tendency to turn their outrage to 11 at the drop of a hat; I’m wondering if that’s what’s happening here.

Daniel

[Homebrew]

@even sven

If our workplaces encouraged us to publically play favorites and shun whatever co-workers we feel are unattractive or unlikable that day, we’d probably quit. … This sort of thing doesn’t make them stronger, it doesn’t prepare them for the real world (where we at least make a show of acting civilized) and it isn’t excusable.

Where in the world do you work? Workplace rules don’t have to encourage such behavior. It happens as a matter of course. You think all * those folks choo*se to eat lunch alone in their cube? This exercise perfectly preparatory for the cruel, shallow real world.

[Soapbox_Monkey]

Why not just let him go to school wearing whatever he wants even if he doesn’t find another person to be his partner? What are they going to do, expel him for not wanting to be the only kid wearing a uniform that day?