We are potty training our now 20 month old twins. In my previous Tales From the Potty, we talked about a few lessons that I’ve learned after successfully training three older children. Today, we’ll talk about how we are going about potty training this time around.
First let me say that if you are looking for a ‘how to’ manual–this isn’t it. You would do better to search for potty training articles. I can tell you that you must be consistent, you must use the method that works for your child, and you must teach all the steps. I have yet to train any of my two children the same way and that includes the twins. But I’m getting a little ahead of myself.
How We Knew They Were Ready. . .
Actually, only one twin is really “ready”. However, twins frequently have a ‘monkey see monkey do’ relationship and ours are no exception. So training them individually was not an option (as we quickly discovered.) Signs of readiness include waking up dry at night, wanting to imitate mommy and daddy, going a few hours during the day without a diaper, or waking up dry from naps. I also strongly advise against starting potty training amidst any major life events.
I mentioned that one of my twins clearly displays readiness, while my other does not. However, both twins do display interest which is another key factor. Whether you’re ready to potty train or not, if your child asks to sit on the potty. . .by all means let them. Even if they’re fully clothed, sitting on the potty can be a time of education.
The Feeling
One of the first things potty training toddlers need to learn is the feeling of having to go, and the difference between wet and dry. Pull ups are just about useless in our experience. (I do have another use for them which we’ll get to later). They absorb too well for your little one to really get the idea that after they’ve urinated they are wet.
Our older children were all trained in the summer and so it was easy to let them run around naked. Yes, it means that you may be wiping up quite a few puddles for a little while. Many parents I know opt to send their kids outside in the yard to help minimize the mess. Another option however is to get vinyl covered training underwear. Because I didn’t think I could follow twins around and catch all the puddles (I never said potty training wasn’t gross) this is what we opted to do this time around. It definitely feels wet but it will not make a mess.
The Potty Train Routine
Now, while we are at home, we take the twins potty about every 20 minutes. Eventually, you should begin to see a pattern to their bathroom behaviors and then you won’t have to go quite so often. However, in the very beginning, it is desirable to try and “catch” the going so they get the feeling of it.
It is helpful when you begin, to establish a routine with your child. Ours is to sit on the potty through a very exciting rendition of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and the “Alphabet Song”. Then we wipe, flush and wash our hands.
Check back soon to see if we’ve been successful with either twin yet and to learn more about appropriate rewards for potty training!
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