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Going Crazy with Twins

Q: Help!!! I have 10-month old twins who are driving me insane. They're always getting into something they aren't supposed to. By the time I clean up the mess they are on to something else. I would like a moment of rest every once in a while so I don't lose it. In the morning they only sleep for 20 minutes and get up. That isn't enough time to recoup. Please help. I need answers soon before I go crazy.

A: Having twins is hard; having twin toddlers is brutal. Of course you are going crazy. The good news: it's temporary insanity. The better news: it can be even more temporary!
Having twin toddlers makes having a single toddler seem like a long, slow afternoon sipping root beer floats on a warm patio and listening to the far off sounds of the spring frogs. If running after one is hard, running after two is miserable, especially considering the fact that you probably haven't slept more than four hours at a stretch for almost a year. Nutz, it's time to muster up one last burst of energy (remember when you had some?) and do the things I'm going to suggest. It won't solve your insanity, but it will help. It may give you a little bit of solace to know that this period will pass. Soon they'll spend time entertaining each other, and you'll have a bit more of a break.
First, lower your expectations and get your priorities straight. Don't try to do it all - taking care of twins is the equivalent of two full time jobs. It doesn't matter if your hair is dirty or your kitchen sink is full of dishes (my exhausted aunt used to hide hers in the oven when guests came over). You can't be perfect, so spend your time taking care of yourself and your babies; the house, with one big exception, will take care of itself.
Here's the exception: Time to super baby proof. With twins, the normal baby proofing is not enough. You need to get everything breakable, spillable, shock-producing, and sharp-cornered out of reach or covered over. The ideal set-up for toddler twins may be a padded room (with windows, toys, and lovely music, of course). You need to have a safe place to put the babies so you can either lie down on the floor near them or on the couch and doze, or run to the bathroom for 3 minutes without worrying that they will get into everything or injure themselves.
If you have space, dedicate a room for this purpose. Baby gate it off, and clear it out. As you add stuff back in, make sure it's all safe for use. If you don't have space, and few of us do, dedicate a corner of a room for this purpose, or use your bedroom.
Childproofing a house, or room, means making it friendly for your babies, too. The less time you have to spend saying, "NO! Don't touch!" the more time you'll have to enjoy your babies. And recoup your energy.
My second suggestion is to GET HELP! Beg, borrow, or steal a partner, neighbor, friend, or sibling and ask them to relieve you for half an hour every day. You cannot do this alone without insanity. Taking care of yourself is as important as taking care of your babies; happy mommy = happy baby; if you are insane, your kids will be, too.
And third, get some other resources. Read! "The Art of Parenting Twins: The Unique Joys and Challenges of Raising Twins and Other Multiples" by Patricia Maxwell Malmstrom and Janet Poland, is a good start.
It may give you a little bit of solace to know that this period will pass. Soon they'll spend time entertaining each other, and you'll have a bit more of a break.