Raising Two Sets of Twins in Vietnam: Why the Chaos Suits This Family

From Boston to Vietnam

Goldstein, 40, met her husband in high school and married after graduating. She worked in public relations and sales before earning an MBA at Babson College. Around 2015, the couple saw an opportunity to help US companies shift supply chains away from China. They started The Timroon Group, a manufacturing and sourcing company focused on Vietnam.

A family and business grow

After their first twins were born, Goldstein found that staying home was not right for her, despite having strong support while living with her parents in a suburban six-bedroom home. When the twins were 18 months old, the family took an overnight train to Sapa in northern Vietnam. Seeing Hmong women sell textiles inspired Goldstein to create a travel accessories brand working with women artisans. During that trip, the couple decided to have another child; they later learned they were expecting twins again.

The family returned to Boston in January 2020, where Goldstein grew Raffi Nova, her textile accessories brand. By 2022, her husband’s business was picking up, and they wanted to move back to Vietnam.

Everyday life and costs

Goldstein points to good doctors and hospitals, street food rated by the Michelin Guide, French bakeries and activities for children such as taekwondo and tennis. The family spends about $1,000 a month on groceries, with higher costs for meat and imported food.

A latte at a café costs about $2, she says, while taking the children out for bagels in Boston can cost $100 or more. With fees for four children, the family probably spends about as much as it would in the US, where they would not pay for school; in Vietnam, they eat out and travel more.

The weather is hot and wet, and rain often falls at school pickup during rainy season. One benefit, Goldstein says, is that the children need only one wardrobe throughout the year.

Travel and embracing chaos

The family has taken the children to about 50 countries and spends summers with relatives in Boston. Trips have included a night in the jungle in Phong Nha, home to Vietnam’s largest cave, and about 20 visits to Thailand.

They also rented an RV to tour New Zealand’s South Island and visited Sri Lanka, where the children learned to surf and the family stayed at a mountain homestay. Goldstein says predictability scares her and that she thrives amid the bustle of family life. With two sets of twins, she says, there is always plenty of chaos, and she would not choose another way.