[name_m]Just[/name_m] curious when other moms have started potty training and how long it took for your child to catch on. I have 21 month old twin boys and I’m thinking of starting them soon. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I’m not a mom myself, but my mom was a nanny for 18 years before she had me and is a BIG proponent of waiting until they’re showing signs of being ready, otherwise it’s just torture for everyone.
Agree. I have heard this and that’s why I’m not wanting to start too early even though it would be really nice not to have so many diapers
[name_f]My[/name_f] son will be 2 in [name_u]August[/name_u] and, at this stage, we won’t really start until after then. He’s really nervous about sitting on the potty and I don’t want to force him to do it.
I haven’t really tried with mine yet but I was planning to get them little potties soon to see what they think of it. I suspect they’ll probably be ready at different times. [name_m]Just[/name_m] like with everything else
We’re in the thick of it!
We’ve been giving the ol’ potty a go for a few weeks now, started at 25 months. He was showing “the signs” around his second birthday, and once the whole lockdown thing began, both Hubby and I suddenly had ample time to devote. Mostly, we just keep an eye on the signs that it’s time to go, and ask him near-constantly on his status
We’re not using a little potty, opting for the traditional throne, but I can totally see the draw. Sounds like a great way to test readiness.
I won’t be surprised with some set backs when the new baby arrives in the next month and a half. [name_f]My[/name_f] goal was to ideally have only one in nappies, so we’ll see how we go.
Oh goodness Best of luck to you @Hollyrow!! I guess lockdown has one convenience at least. Lol I have heard that a new baby could bring some setbacks but who knows maybe you’ll be lucky!
I’ve thought about just getting something to fit on the regular toilet for them but I’m scared that they’ll both need to go at the same time and then what??
I definitely think they’re a few months away from being ready but getting close.
Did anyone use rewards like stickers or M&Ms? I’ve heard some people say that.
Both of my kids have shown interest at around 18 months. With my first at that time I didn’t even entertain the idea because his sister was due any day at that time. With the adjustment of another his interest didn’t really peak again until right before he was two. At that time I was ok with helping. I’ve tried to always avoid the constant asking and trying. To me if aim having to take them more then once an hour it’s not really worth it and it’s more training N.H. me to watch the clock. [name_f]My[/name_f] son had a bout am3 monthish range of daily accidents that decreased over time. Was night trainee right before turning 3
[name_f]My[/name_f] daughter again showed brief interest at 18 months. Went about a month of being day trained and then decided one day she was all set with that and ended up back in diapers. She turned two, days later had her check up that night I sent hubby to the store To stock up on diapers because COVID panick was starting and I heard shelves were starting to be swiped of their diaper supply. That next morning my daughter woke up and declared clear as day, “No more diapers!”. And we found her completely day and night trained- not having to ask her to go potty or anything she would just tell us. About 2 or 3 weeks ago she started having daily accidents (telling us she needed to go but not making it to the potty in time). So we’ve stocked up on underwear for her and I’ve started diapering her at night again cause sometime she wakes up with the grumps and last thing she wants is to go potty.
I haven’t done rewards. As a former toddler teacher I’ve heard of it but it’s not quite my style because to me I don’t like the setting up the expectation for “the prize”. [name_f]My[/name_f] kids have gotten a prize for when they first go potty. First poop on the potty and a bigger treat for extended potty success (going out to eat). But a habitual prize system we haven’t done.
I glad your daughter’s come around again. I do worry about starting to early and then them losing interest.
The thing that worries me about awards is that one of them will feel discouraged if they don’t get one and it would give them some sort of a complex and make them not want to try.
With the awards Inthink if you keep the award simple enough (a sticker for exajmple) it might not be such a complex. Or one where both could receive the award but one receives the attached praise with the award. It could also be that ones successes acts as a motivator for the other.
As a toddler teacher something that might also work for twins is where I would start one of my kids off on a pull up with their favorite character on it. If they peed in it they had to go back to a diaper. Naps would be a diaper. And they would get another try with a pull up post nap. This was a method that I felt worked depending on the personality… but when it worked it worked like a charm.
@whatchamacallit I can see the dilemma of having two who need to go at the same time. I imagine with twins there’s a lot of trying to keep not only a prepared, but a level playing field. We opted for the regular toilet, because that’s what he’ll be faced with in the future once we’re allowed to use other establishments.
I’m not a “rewards” parent (not yet, anyway), but we’re lucky in that we’ve been blessed with a very amenable and responsive tot. Something I’m increasingly thankful for as we try to navigate these kinds of milestones before [name_u]Baby[/name_u] Bro joins us. The next phase will definitely be getting [name_m]Bruce[/name_m] to tell us he’s gotta go.
I waited for signs of readiness. [name_f]My[/name_f] daughter was completely dry at night from about 18 months. Close to age 2 I asked her if she wanted to sit on the potty in the mornings. She would but she never did anything, then would soak a diaper right after. Didn’t push her. Right before she turned 2 we had two weeks at home for [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] and it was hot (Australia) so she was just completely naked and would bring me a diaper to put on when she needed to go. No accidents. Still nothing on potty but I was like this kid is ready. Started giving her M&Ms as incentive and she never looked back. Used the potty like a champ. I still put a pull up on her when we left the house – daycare, shops, whatever – until 3-4 months later when she told me she wasn’t going to wear one anymore. She ditched the nighttime diaper not long after (her choice). I can count on one hand the number of accidents she’s had. Easiest kid in the world to potty train.
I plan on waiting for my son to be ready too but I already feel like I’m going to be in for the long haul with him. We have some time yet thankfully!
We just potty trained my son in [name_u]March[/name_u]. He was almost 3.5, he was reluctant to at first but I knew he was ready and with another baby on the way, I really wanted to get him potty trained. It worked out really nice since me and my DH had 2 weeks off from work due to covid. [name_f]My[/name_f] son pretty much got the hang of it after one week. And now he rarely has any accidents.
[name_m]Five[/name_m] children, all trained at different ages. I used rewards. Shhh Lollies… One small lolly for each time. Eldest was trained at 23 months, the youngest at 2 and 3/4. Each one was different. Eldest trained herself. She was a big girl, not a baby like little sister.
I took a very relaxed approach with all of my children and it was successful for us. They were about your boys age.
The joke amongst all the parents with toddlers I know over the last couple months is that they have embraced the stay at home measures and everyone is potty training haha!