POTTY TRAINING TWINS
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WHOOPS! There is no set time or age to potty train your twins. All children are ready for this stage of development at different times. Just because you have two children who are the same age, does not mean that you have two children who will be ready to get rid of their nappies at the same time.
I have boy/girl twins and I was given this advice many times when they were little, but I thought that it would be far easier to get them out of nappies together. I also thought that if one was going to the toilet or sitting on the potty, then the other one would automatically want to do the same. I was very wrong!
My eldest son was 2 years and 2 months when I felt he was ready to come out of nappies. At this time, my twins were only 5 months old but I felt that if he was ready, then I shouldn’t put it off any longer. He did not want to sit on the potty but he did use the toilet instead. Luckily, I had no real problems and by the time he was 2 years and 9 months, he was dry day and night.
When my twins were 2 years and 3 months I really felt that my daughter was ready to use the potty. I had already left two potties in the lounge and sat both of the twins on them, but to no avail. They both felt it was far more fun to wear them as hats on their heads! Then I thought that maybe they would be the same as their elder brother and prefer to sit on the toilet and so this was the next plan of action. Having already invested in lots of pairs of knickers and pants, I explained to them, one morning, that as they were getting bigger they were not going to wear nappies today and that they were going to use the toilet just like their big brother. They both seemed very excited at this prospect and loved wearing their knickers and pants, instead of nappies.
During the first hour, I think I asked them both at least 10 times if they needed to go to the toilet, but each time the answer was “no”. My little boy then had his first accident and seemed rather upset. I explained that it didn’t matter and that we could clean him up and put clean pants on. I once again asked my daughter if she needed to go but once again the answer was “no”. About an hour later my son had his second accident, and we went through the same cleaning up process and no one got cross. Once again my daughter was asked if she wanted to go but still the answer was“no”.
To cut a long story short, after 9 pairs of clean pants and a lot of cleaning up I decided that my son was not ready for this experience, and to be quite honest neither was I! While all this cleaning and changing was going on my daughter decided that she did need to go, and she was so pleased with herself when she sat on the toilet and performed that I felt we had had some success by the end of the day.
Two months later, my son suddenly announced one morning that he did not want to wear nappies any more as he was a big boy. I was rather worried that we would go through the same pattern as we had before but I was wrong. He had no accidents and we did not look back. Both of my twins were slower at being dry at night than my eldest son. My daughter was 3 years and 3 months and my son was 4 years and 5 months.
The hardest thing when your children first come out of nappies is having to find a toilet everywhere you go! Also when one decides they want to go you can guarantee the other one will want to go! This can be very frustrating but it’s better than wet underwear! When you go out always make sure you have plenty of changes of clothing with you. Although at the time you feel that this period seems to go on forever, it really is very short-lived and all part of the fun of having twins.
My advice is:-
Don’t feel pressurised into potty training.
Treat your twins as individuals.
Don’t get cross when they do have accidents.
Don’t feel that you have to get them dry before they start at pre-school, as most pre- schools still take children when they are wearing nappies.
Your children will do it when they are ready and not when you are ready!
