Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Jennifer — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:41:53 GMT

I found that it worked better to praise them more for keeping their pull-up/underwear dry than to just praise them for using the potty. I also got the Potty Patty training pants for them to use at first when I decided to give up the diapers cold turkey. If they pee in them they feel wet (unlike pull-ups) but it also doesn't leave a puddle all over the floor (like underwear). And I definitely needed two potty seats in the bathroom - they always decided they 'needed' to go at the same time.

Of course there were a few accidents the first week but it got better very quickly. By the end of the second week they were completely trained except for naps and bedtime. We're still working on that one!

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Julie — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:02:59 GMT

POTTY TRAINING TWINS IS SO HARD!!!!!! It was a loooong, difficult process for us and my biggest suggestion would be to wait until you are sure that they are absolutely ready so that the process will be shorter. When they want to do it, they will absolutely do it.

Just keep a positive attitude about potties, talk about potties, keep the two potties in the bathroom and let them sit on them when they want to. When one wanted to sit on the potty and read the special "potty only" books I would let the other child listen with us, and sometimes he/she would decide to sit on his/her potty too -- or sometimes he/she would choose to play or read in the hall, right outside the bathroom (with the bathroom door open).

Anyway, just don't stress and keep it loosey-goosey, let them decide. I took a toddler parenting class and the instructor asked what eating, using the potty and sleeping had in common -- they're all things that you can't force your child to do, you can only provide the opportunity. For some reason, that info kind of set me free.

Good luck!

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

megan — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 02:32:05 GMT

Here's my two sense.

One part is the skills - them developing a relationship of awareness about their need to go. That comes first, you are going to have to clean up accidents! Pee will fly, roll and puddle.

Second part is their desire to be out of diapers. (or to be a big kid, wear big kid underwear.)

I found it easier to potty train the twins - than my single. Maybe peer pressure orperhaps they are more use to be herded from chore to chore.

Take the time to do some work on it in the summer -

potty training in the winter is way harder. Spend lots of time naked, have TWO potty's.

My boys started using the potty way young - so it was before the whole terrible two thang. But just a few of weeks ago at 26 motnhs I bought them big boy underwear and hyped it up - never turned back. I am still amaized that it stuck.

Good luck.

Hey I still want to know - what about beds are you still in cribs over there - plans for big kids beds???

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Janelle — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:40:02 GMT

My 2 3/4 twin girls are just barely potty-trained. The downstairs bathroom was too small for two potties so I just put them in the living room. Slowly but surely they just started taking their diapers off to go on the potty. I bought 20 pairs of panties (not the thick ones, just regular 2T-3T panties). Now they don't want pull-ups at nap or bedtime but I insist. My worst fear was taking them out in public and having to use the restroom, but so far it's going well.

I think that 2 1/2 is the perfect time to start and you should be well done by age three. Also, summertime is the best time of year because they can run around the house in a t-shirt and their panties until they master pulling down pants.

Good luck everyone! Not having to buy diapers every week FEELS GOOD.

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

April — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:57:50 GMT

Sa: good advice. I will have to remember that.

Janette: that might work about letting them go diaperless. Eric had his diaper off the other day and was looking down at his penis for a second and then he started peeing. So I think he kinda must have felt it coming. I have heard letting them be naked helps.

Jane: Yes, hubby and I are frequent afternoon delighters around here. During naptime is good, but sometimes we just sneak off when they are busy watching tv or playing. Hubby works at home full time so when the need arises, we do it. I think it makes for a more productive workday for both of us haha! You should try it sometime.

Can you take both kids into the bathroom at once and either put them both on a potty or just let one hang out while one pottys? I used to be super vigilant about never leaving them alone, but that got old quick. haha :P

Like some others said I am just too lazy to potty train right now. I am praying and hoping putting it off will make it easier because they will be more mature. God I hope I am right....

Please keep us updated on your progress with the potty. I remember you posted a long time ago about potty chairs and I have not heard anything since then so I was wondering how your girls were doing with it.

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Lori — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:12:41 GMT

My son was super easy to potty train - pretty much did it himself between 18 months and 2 years. But one thing that may have helped was the Potty Power video. He LOVED it and is almost 5 and still asks to watch it every once in a while :). I have 6 month old twin girls now, so we have a while before we need to worry about them. Good luck.

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Melissa — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:04:33 GMT

s.a.: good points! Especially #1. I do that all the time and you're right, I'm just giving him a chance to say no.

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Marie-Eve — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:46:05 GMT

My boy (same age as E and C) is about the same, probably a little less advanced. It seems progress in this area is happening very slowly for him. And yeah, I'm kinda lazy and my take on it is that I'd rather wait until he's ready and then 1-he won't feel like he's forced and the experience will be less frustrating and negative for him, and 2-it will only take a short time instead of having to take care of accidents for months and months.

He goes to daycare, so any real effort we would put has to be coordinated with them, and they've told me they think he's not at all ready yet (and hell, they're much more experienced with this than we are). So I'm taking it easy. I'm not in love with changing diapers but it became such a second nature, I don't really mind anymore either. He will eventually be out of them!

BUT. The problem is my family. Everyone thinks that at his age, he should be potty-trained already, and they think we're bad parents and doing things wrong, coming up with all kinds of far-fetched theories (like that it's because he doesn't want diapers anymore that he whines and shouts when I change him, when it's rather because he didn't want his playing time interrupted, and really, he'll whine and shout about anything).

I'm so frustrated about it and would really like to tell them to bug off. To me their theories are antiquated, like my parents are people who thought breastfeeding was bad and who were all panicked that my son walked at 14 months.

Recently he spent a couple of days with my mom, and he pooed in the potty once (yeah, only because she put him there in time, he always does shortly after he wakes up, but we haven't started doing so yet because our mornings are pretty hurried). But to her this was the ultimate "told you so" self-righteous moment. Arghh!

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Janette — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:32:11 GMT

We recently trained our not-quite-two year old son by just taking off his diapers and putting him outside for several hours at a time. He started noticing when we was peeing and we would talk to him about how we were going to learn to pee in the potty. Once he was very aware of his systems, we started letting him run around inside without a diaper, and he would actually ask to go outside to pee (yes, like a dog :). After about a week of that, we transitioned to the potty -- and it was pretty easy! He actually hasn't had any *pee* accidents in the house (the other one has been a little more difficult), although he is still in a diaper at nap and at night. That said, it was way less stressful than I was anticipating. It might be worth a try!

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

jan — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:24:52 GMT

You know how you potty train Jane? You buy ALOT of thick cotton undies, ALOT of cheapo sheet liners and you never, ever look back. Did you know that 90-odd% of kids were potty trained at 18 months 40 years ago? Now the diaper companies want us to think the tots aren't ready. They can't feel it in the landfill diapers, and they won't like it in the cotton. Two weeks at most whenever you are ready. It is not so hard (even with twins -- you'll get peer pee pressure working on your side!) Seriously! It's not an emotional issue, don't let em fool ya.

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Chantal — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:57:39 GMT

I have 27 month old twin girls. I have one that is fully day potty trained for the past 2 months (night she still wears a diaper) and the other one is on her way. I did exactly what s.a. suggests in his/her post and so far the experience has been fantastic. It is work but the rewards are great! I am a first time mom too and I found that I wasn't sure how to potty train two at once. What I decided to do was concentrate on the one that was the most eager to use the potty. I put her in underwear and kept the other one in a diaper. I let the one in the diaper tag along if she wanted and not if she didn't. Now that the first one is very reliable I have started putting my other one in underwear and starting the whole process again ;-)

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

s.a. — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 07:21:12 GMT

I have potty trained 3 sets of twins (during my nannying career), and I am now a behavioral therapist. I trained my twinniebugs and the special needs kids I work with exactly the same way.

Try and keep a log of when they go for a couple of days; you will most likely find that a pattern emerges. Then put them on the potty at the same time right before they tend to go (it is easiest if you have two small pottys and put them in the bathroom, or any room, with the door closed so you can more efficiently corral them). Let about 10-15 minutes pass, keep it fun- songs, books, etc. If they go, praise lavishly and give some sort of reward (a potty ONLY reward, this is key). If they don't go, no big deal. Don't discuss it, just move on. Keep with the schedule, and they will get the hang of it, and very soon will let you know when they need to go.

Some key points:

1. Do not ask them if they need to potty. Just announce "it's time to go potty!". Don't give them an opportunity to use it as a way to flex their control.

2. Keep it super fun.

3. Find a good, strong reinforcer/reward that is ONLY for going in the potty. Don't allow them to have it for any other good behavior, or as a regular snack/treat. It needs to have mystique. Pair this with extravagant praise, cheers, songs of victory, etcetera. Share the news with the world.

4. Don't scold or try and discuss any failure to pee or poop. Just get them dressed and then move on to the next item on the agenda.

Good luck! As a pediatrician once said to my friend who was really panicked about her child's lack of potty usage "How many un-potty trained 10 year old do you know, hmmmmmm?"

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Ellen — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 03:18:21 GMT

I can't say I have any advice as I only have one, and she's 17 months. But you certainly got a good laugh out of me with the image of the bare butts waddling around the house!

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Rachel — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:27:21 GMT

"Peep and poop!" ha-ha-ha!!!! You made my evening just with that little tidbit.

I wish I had advice, but I imagine this is something that other moms of twins should comment on. I had it easy with only one - especially since she pretty much potty trained herself - she announced to us one day that she wanted to wear underpants and that was pretty much it. (That was after a failed attempt a few months earlier when she wasn't ready.)

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Roper — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:58:01 GMT

Alison -- I always bathe the girls together, and pretty much do the same thing April does. Although, now that they're a little bit bigger / older, I usually just take them out of the bath one right after the other, wrap them up in towels and let them toddle into the nursery, where I dress one then the other -- risking pee accidents on the floor in doing so! (And we have had a couple).

April, yes, our house is gated up and childproofed a plenty, but there are some things -- like bumps and falls, climbing up on furniture, etc. -- that a whole maze of gates can't prevent. They'll always discover something we haven't thought of. It's also a tad stressful to be in the bathroom with one child on the potty while the other one is standing at the gate screaming for you to open it so she can come in.

And, of course, if you're running with a kid to try to make it to the potty before they let loose in their diaper, you don't necessarily have time to do (or even think to do) things like, say, move the glass of water you were drinking at the dining room table to the middle so no one can reach it.

Afternoon delight while they run around in the rest of the house? Really? Wow -- I'm impressed.

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Alyson — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:33:10 GMT

When people ask me if we're potty training yet, I say, "NO! I am NOT ready for that yet!"

The girls, however, are probably ready. Or, ready enough. I mean, they could probably do it with a lot of encouragement and supervision from me. I just don't have it in me, at the moment. And really? It's not like there's this small window of opportunity in which they can learn it - and after that it's too late... if anything, they're only going to get *more* ready.

So, we'll do it when I'm ready. I think we'll be good to go by the end of summer. For now we're pretty much doing what you're doing - we have two little potties in their bedroom, and we encourage potty use right before and/or after bath and bed. Also, any time they feel like giving it a shot, they are welcome to strip down and go for it. We make a big deal about anything that's produced, but that's about the extent of it. I'm in no way ready for big-girl underwear and puddles of pee on my kitchen floor!

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Eva — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:10 GMT

Actually, there is, but it's called booty camp and it's in Chicago I think:

www.msnbc.msn.com/.../25057503

At 2 3/4, we have one trained except for naps & bedtime, the other completely not. we have taken the lazy route and let them do it themselves. We may regret this as #2 gets older, but it's been great with #1 and a lot less hassle than going hard core!

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Melissa — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:34:08 GMT

Michael will frequently pull down his pants and take off his diaper after he pees. And he can tell us after he's pooped. But he hasn't done anything on the potty yet. He's seen the other kids at daycare go. He's in the class where potty training begins, but so far no interest. I don't think he's got voluntary control of those muscles yet. He just knows when he's done.

I think it's best not to rush them. And I think I'm also lazy. It seems like just one more thing to cajole him into, and I do enough of that all day anyway.

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

April — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:32:34 GMT

Alison: I was freaked about bathing mine at the same time too, but finally came up with a system that even DH can handle. Put both in the bath. Make them sit. Bathe them. Have all the pjs, lotion, diapers, etc that you need to dress one or both kids. Take one out while other stays in the tub. Dress one kid. Then send them out, then dress second kid. It works well and is really not very hard at all.

Jane: Is your house not super gated up yet? Our house is so damn childproofed I honestly never worry about what they are into. I have been known to have afternoon delight with hubby while they run around outside the door in the rest of the house. You need to gate off the kitchen and any other dangerous things that way when you are dealing with one, the other cannot get into trouble. Our house looks like gate city, but at least they are safe and I am sane. I cannot watch them constantly.

We have not started potty training whatsoever yet. We do not even own any potty seats. I think I am waiting until this Winter when we are going to be stuck inside all day anyway to start it hardcore. I heard you can't really leave the house anyway so might as well wait till we aren't going anywhere. I will probably read potty training in one day book before I start with them.

If your girls can tell you before they pee or poop then they are definitely ready to train hardcore. That is the one thing that they need. Knowing when they need to go or are about to go. My boys are still pretty clueless about the whole process. They run and hide when they poop their pants and like having doodoo on their butts. They throw a fit when I try to change them. Boys are yucky! I heard girls are more bothered by poop than boys. :P

As long as mine are potty trained by Sept 2010 then I am happy so they can go to preschool if we want to send them at 3, we might wait till 4. Good luck!

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Alison — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:19:39 GMT

OMG. Can't wait to read the comments on this one. We're soon to be in the same boat. So scary. And kind of in the same vein, I worry about bathing them together. DH works nights, so I bathe them alone. I want to start bathing them together, but how do I deal with two excited wet naked toddlers once the bath is finished???! Geez...twins!

re: Potty Training: Is it time to get serious?

Anna Goldsmith — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:40:34 GMT

Jane! This post made me laugh -- while (as you know) I don't have twins I was helping my best friend last night with her 2-year-old and newborn. The 2-year-old was DEFINITELY using the potty as a stalling technique ...