Gloucestershire Echo

And the winner is? Well, we love them just the same, but this week it is...

DOUBLE TROUBLE FOR A FIRST-TIME DAD OF TWINS

- Richard IRVINE

‘WHO’S the best twin?’ has never been so closely fought.

There’s been very little to separate them over the last few weeks.

One day Emma is at the helm by correctly identifyin­g sheep, and the next Thomas edges past her by turning the television on.

Although, it’s not an easy competitio­n to adjudicate simply because it’s a little subjective with no structured tests or timed events. It’s more a general appraisal of their performanc­e based on a number of key factors.

For example, we have speed walking, which Emma traditiona­lly runs away with.

Thomas is getting faster, but he can’t match her turn of pace or her ability to sustain that level of speed.

She’s got a physical advantage, being of a more sturdy build, therefore giving her a bit of extra power.

This also gives her the edge in any living room skirmish.

You’d be a fool to put your money on Thomas walking away with the in-demand toy after a one on one scuffle.

However, we’re talking about the best twin and the ability to deprive a child of a toy is not necessaril­y an admirable quality.

Yes, It’s nice to see a strongwill­ed young woman standing up for herself but often it just looks like she’s mugging him.

What we can say is Thomas has excellent hand eye co-ordination.

If you need a coloured shape putting through a similarly sized hole or a large tower constructi­ng then he’s your man.

Emma may have those skills one day but she’s happier pottering around rather than involving herself in projects.

What she lacks in

constructi­on abilities she makes up for in her ability to sleep.

To be fair, they’re both pretty good at sleeping but she’s a winner in this crucial category. Along with her numerical ability. Admittedly, she only ever says ‘nine’ in response to any mathematic­al question but it’s a very good start.

Unfortunat­ely, it’s crunch time and they’ve both done some excellent work over the last few months but there can be only one winner.

For now the ‘Who’s the Best Twin’ award has to go to Thomas.

This is purely based on his mastery of the TV remote control and maybe because Emma is a little bit grabby.

She’ll come back stronger, but time is running out because I fear this competitio­n will have to end soon, mostly in order to avoid lasting psychologi­cal damage.

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 ??  ?? Obviously, we don’t make a big thing of it
Obviously, we don’t make a big thing of it

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