Telling youth apart

I have one set of twin guys in my group right now. I have had a difficult time telling them apart. Up until two months ago I was hesitant to use their first name for fear that I would be wrong. I've got it now, but for a while it was sad how I could not keep them separated.

I ran across a story today about identical quadruplets. Thankfully the story says that all four girls are doing well. As I read the story I was just thinking about trying to tell them apart. It is hard enough for youth ministers to remember students' names, let alone twins. Then imagine trying to remember quadruplets.


How do you tell identical twins apart? What "tricks or secrets" do you have?

I try to have a picture of each and just look at it over and over. Or I'll try to connect a physical trait with their name (like Timothy has long hair and Todd has short hair - longer hair is longer name). The best thing for me, though, is to just be around them enough to just know. After some time, you just start seeing them as not being identical.