Attorney Laura Long – Mother of Twins – Featured in “Real Parenting” Article

Laura Gerdes Long, principal with Danna McKitrick, is a litigator  whose practice focuses on employment, legal malpractice and health care law. But at home, she practices her art of negotiation on her three children: Michael, age 13, and 20-month-old twins James and Julia.

Recently the St. Louis Post-Dispatch featured Long in a “Real Parenting” article titled “Mom weighs keeping twins together in school,” tackling the subject of whether to keep twins together or separate them in school. As a twin herself, Long has first-hand insight into how to guide her twins’ educational process.

Currently, Julia and James are in the same room in day care.  They are very close to each other, especially at nap time, when they push their cots next to each other.

For the future, Long says they will consider each child and his or her needs and personalities as well as the teachers when deciding whether or not to separate the children. According to Long, there are many options for parents for twins. Long and her husband Ed were mindful of their twins’ educational needs when they chose the location of their home. They wanted a school district that would have options to put their twins in different classrooms, based on the chilren’s personalities and “how they fit with the teachers.”

Long is an active member of the Greater St. Louis Mothers of Twins Club, and this topic is very much on everyone’s mind. Most agree with separating twins, and some say the schools make the decision for them.

When asked if Long was worried that the twins’ relationship would be harmed by being separated in school, she replied:

“You have to remember, they are going to be siblings forever. You have aftercare together, recess, evening and weekends and holidays. You’re still going to have that bond.”

Spoken like a twin with experience.

Read the full story St. Louis Post-Dispatch