Yes, the time has finally come. My boys are two years eight months and although there have been many times I’ve considered starting potty training, until now I’ve chickened out. For me it was important to make sure the boys were old enough to follow simple instructions and take down their own trousers. I didn’t want to be one of those mothers who forces her children to use the potty long before they’re really ready, just so they can keep up with everyone else at the toddler group. I felt that by leaving them until they were old enough to understand, we’d crack it much quicker and have fewer accidents.
Why now? This last couple of weeks they’ve helped each other strip off their back-to-front sleepsuits at night (at least that idea worked for about six months!) and running around their bedroom naked, weeing and pooing in various places (on the rug, in the corner of the room and on the top of the chest of drawers – yes, really!) I’ve had enough and feel that if they’re capable of such devious behaviour then they’re capable of doing a wee in a potty. Also, their little sister arrives in September and I’d like to have them potty trained a while before then as I think the arrival of a new baby in the family is going to upset the usual routine. There’s a chance I’ll be having a C-section which will mean I’ll need some recovery time, followed by an operation to remove my gallbladder six weeks after – so if we don’t try it now we may have to wait until December which feels a long way off.
The problem I’ve had is they both HATE the potty. At night T2 will happily have a wee on the toilet, and T1 will happily sit on the toilet seat (although he tends not to do a wee). But during the day neither will agree to use the potty or toilet.
Potty training twins phase one
My first step has been to leave a potty for each of them in the living room. I opted for a pair of blue Pourty potties as I liked the idea of being able to empty the contents out easily. I’d read that twins can get territorial over their potties so I bought two identical ones which seems to work. In an ideal world I’d have liked two upstairs and two down, but due to lack of space and the cost of buying four potties I’m trying it with two for now. Upstairs I also have a toilet trainer seat and a step.
I’ve just invested in what I’m told is the must have item for potty training – a Potette Plus, which is a fold out travel potty that also converts into a travel toilet seat. I’m eagerly awaiting its arrival, as I’ve every parent of twins I know raves about this item. And the best bit is that from Jo Jo Maman Bebe with a 20% TAMBA discount it’s only £11!
Most of the time the potties in the living room get worn as hats or are used to store matchbox cars. But when I change every nappy I’m now encouraging them to sit on the potty. As they were both so reluctant I’ve had to resort to bribes – initially this was a sweet or biscuit. Sometimes I can downgrade the bribes to a sticker or the offer to put the TV on while they sit on their potty, but lots of the time they still refuse to sit on the potty.
I’ve got two weeks to get them used to it before I’m going to go cold turkey and put them in training pants (of which I’ve bought eight pairs from eBay – I hope that’s enough!!) In the meantime I’m going to do everything I possibly can to encourage them to want to use the potty – watching us going to the toilet, talking about how babies wear nappies and big boys wear pants, and reading the big stack of potty books I’ve just picked up from a car boot sale. Fingers crossed in two weeks from now they’ll both be ready.
I had fully intended to train them separately but as time has slipped away (up until now I just didn’t feel they were ready enough) I’m now going to have to bite the bullet and train them together. Hopefully one will encourage the other with a bit of healthy twin competition.
Wish me luck! And please add any tips to the comments section that you think might be useful. I feel like I’m going to need all the help I can get – and being pregnant means I can’t even resort to gin to get me through it!
I feel your pain! Still potty-training my girls. Started about a month ago, when they were two and five months. T got it within a week, but we were then derailed by a tummy bug. She’s back into it now, but G is still not a fan! She will now sit on the toilet loads, which is progress. I think the most important thing I learned was not to treat them the same. I’m now making good progress with G because I backed off for a week or so, then started up again gently, with short sessions in ‘big girl pants’, which meant she was getting positive feedback, like choc stars and stickers, rather than just watching T being rewarded. Will be good to get it done before the baby arrived. I always intended to train the girls at two, but their sister was due two months before that so I put it off. Having a baby around hasn’t exactly made it easier, so if you can train them by September, it will really help. Good luck!!
Thanks for your comment. It’s good to hear from somebody who is going through it too! We had some real progress tonight – T2 kept asking for the potty and then having a wee in it every time. When we rewarded him he was so chuffed. It did make T1 jealous though which makes it hard as I feel guilty giving a sweet or sticker to one and not the other, although some days T1 gets all the sweets so it evens itself out a bit. As you say, they’re both very different and will pick it up when they’re both ready. I’m looking forward to phase two now when we move to pants on all day! I didn’t want to suddenly go cold turkey with them knowing how much they hated the potty and toilet so hopefully this couple of weeks will gently ease them into it. Hopefully! xx
Working on the training now. Actually at almost one am literally now. My boys will be three in September and I and the nursery have been working steadily on getting them in a flow. They’ve been doing pretty well in the daytime, sometimes number twos are a little rough, but I find, I suppose logically, they do much better at home with that. I guess because of familiar easily accessible surroundings. I have a toilet fit in, not potties though they do have those at the nursery and they seem to be getting accustomed but they also sometimes stand on the regular toilet seat and aim. I cannot imagine training a girl. The thought makes me cringe of having to adjust for dirty public toilets and all that stuff. Anyway was low on pull ups tonight so I said what the hey! Put them in underwear, one cup of juice, skip to the loo before beddie bye, drag to the loo at 12:45 (not a pretty sight), and I left the light in the bathroom on and their door open praying that if they need to go they’ll see the light, literally and go on their own. Failing that I command all bladders to stop until 7am. It is by the mercy of God alone that after being shaken awake they went back to sleep. Anyway speaking of sleep, I desperately need some. Night all.
Success!!!! Two dry beds and two dry toddlers. Forgot to mention I put down two towels or blankets under them to help with leaks just in case, but this morning they’re fine. Tried a 3:45 toilet run with T1 but he wasn’t feeling it so I left them alone. And all is well 🙂 God’s blessings and success on everyone else’s attempts. Encouraged to try again tomorrow.
Er tonight.
I’m dreading doing this (especially as we have no downstairs loo and the house is gated like a high security prison!) so interesting to see what others are doing! I think I’ll delay it until they’re at least 2.5!
Ha ha, sounds like my house – no downstairs loo and gates everywhere. And a manic labradoodle puppy who runs around wanting to get at the potties. It’s a nightmare! I’d definitely recommend waiting til they’re ready. My boys are 2 yrs 8 months and T1 still isn’t there yet. T2 is doing well with it though, although he’s still not quite got the hang of pants yet…xx
We have introduced the potties…but there is not a huge amount of interest yet. I wish you the best. Please link this to Multiples Monday on Capri + 3.
: 0 ) Theresa
http://www.multiples-mom.com
Thank for that now i m doing this to train my twins