When to Start Potty Training Twins – Great Tips to Make it Easier

Last Updated on May 31, 2021

What exactly is the right time to start training twins on how to use the toilet? Before we dive into this hot topic it is worth noting that this is a titanic task that comes with its fair share of stumbling blocks. But we are here to help ensure that you have smooth sailing, with less mayhem and a happy-go-lucky potty training journey. So, back to the hot topic: when to start potty training twins?

Training Twins, when to begin with it

Kids achieve developmental skills at very different times and stages in their lives, so there is no benchmark on which to gauge. It is all just depends on the child’s readiness to embark on this journey, although legend has it that most toddlers show signs of readiness at the age of 18-24months.

Be that as it may, studies have shown that some children only reach this milestone at the age of 3years. With twins, it can be a bit of a bigger struggle because 1 child may be ready to begin whilst the other child may be unwilling and not interested at all.

As taxing as this may sound, you need to remain calm and focus your energies on the child that is left behind. Because you are going to have to repeat all the steps with them until they get it right.  So keep an open mind, remember, all kids are different from one another even if they share the same DNA.

Signs to look out for that will show that your twins are now ready for potty training:

• When they feel the urge to pee or poop they will always inform you
• They are able to pull down their pants
• Are able to stay dry more often and have much fewer poop accidents
• Maintain regular routine with their poop sessions
• Become agitated when they are in wet diapers
• They would very much rather wear pull-ups or underwear than use diapers
• They are suddenly drawn to the potties and even practice sitting on them
• Become more interested in how the toilet works and bathroom habits in general

So there you have it, if one or both of your toddlers start showing you these signals then they are ready to go down the independence route.

When Training Twins, What if One gets it Quicker Than The Other

It is a possibility that you can’t run away from that one twin can train much faster than the other. So all you can do is just to remain calm and continue to encourage the one lagging behind. Patience here is very key; you could try helping your kiddo onto the potty as they carry on with their business. Doing this will help you to understand better that he/she now needs to poop or pee in the potty and not in diapers.

Practice this on a daily until it fully registers with your child what exactly you are trying to teach them. Remember, kids learn through repetitive actions.  Ultimately they will get it and you can then move on with your program. You may then rope in the other twin to help encourage their sibling.

However, you will most certainly need bucket loads of tolerance and self-restraint because they may relapse and turn to their old habits. Just give them a short break from the training then resume it again later.

Several methods have been developed over the years to help parents with potty training

One such popular method is the 3-day Potty Training which includes having your babies run around commando, but only once they have shown signs of readiness for toileting. With this method, you and your kids will have to steer clear of diapers for exactly 3days full. This then means you will have to be your children’s chaperone regularly prompting them to go pee or poop.

To help you are along the way in readiness for this exercise you could consider these tips:

• Try to give your kids plenty of fluids then encourage them to go use their potties whenever they get the urge to go. Be sure to set time intervals on your timer for about 15-30minutes to help you remember when to take them to the potty.
• At first, they may be resistant to this new way of doing things. So don’t be forceful, instead, you could try gentle pushes, like offering them sweet treats or any other fun activities if they use their potties. Just try to bring in the fun factor as much as possible to encourage them to use their potties.
• Always reinforce good behavior such as them peeing and pooping in their potties so they know that this is how they will be doing things. Keep this going for the next 2days but continue to monitor them closely. There will be accidents as they go along but don’t yell at them as that may derail their progress. You don’t want to be dealing with 2 potty-resistant toddlers!
• Check your calendar to see when you will be free enough to carry out this exercise. Remember, this is a full 3days that needs your undivided attention so you can’t do it on your busiest days. You need to focus 100% on this otherwise it would just be futile.

At the end of these 3days, your babies will not be entirely potty trained. But will have a clear understanding of the basics that come with potty training. With time, much-needed patience, and dedication they will be fully and successfully trained to be independent.

The Best Time for Toileting: Daytime or Bedtime

It would most certainly make better sense to start off with the daytime training before embarking on the bedtime training. Always remember that even if your kiddos have mastered the potty training skill, they will still have those occasional setbacks, more especially during the night.

Realistically, training them at night wouldn’t be such a great idea as potty training involves a lot of self-control. So them exercising that trait during the night would only just disturb their sleep patterns. This is why it is better for them to first master daytime training first before they can get the hang of bedtime training.

Getting them to learn daytime training first then makes it much easier for them to master bedtime training. When you observe dry diapers at night over an extended duration then you will know when to start potty training twins and you can safely begin training them for bedtime.

Here are more tips worth considering as you continue with the journey

Training duals can be quite challenging and taxing to any parent. So you most definitely need all the help you can get plus ideas you can explore to make the task less stressful.

1. Get organized – Once you have determined that your dual is ready for the training you will need to prepare for the task ahead. Make them watch movies or video clips about toileting, read to them books about potty training, or take them shopping for all the equipment you will need for the training. Taking them shopping for these things will help generate some curiosity. Buy them underwear with their favorite cartoon characters and tell them that if they wore those then they officially belong to the big boys club.
2. Make them go commando – Duals equal double laundry loads especially in the first few weeks because as they adjust there may be a lot of accidents along. Maybe let them go commando as you both celebrate the process, besides it will be way easier to get to the potty on time. Slowly, everything will fall into place.
3. Get yourself an extra pair of hands – As I had mentioned earlier that training a dual isn’t easy at all. At the beginning of their journey, you may experience a lot of poop accidents. This may be because you can’t be at 2places at the same time. One can get to the potty in time to do their business whilst the other may not be so fortunate and end up doing their business on the carpet in the lounge. So if you have that someone that can assist you through it all then life can be tons simpler.
4. Keep them motivated with rewards – Always reinforce good behavior such as them peeing and pooping in their potties. Try rewarding them by cooking them their favorite meal for dinner or let them choose a dessert for dinner. You could even give them an extra hour watching their favorite show.

Potty training is an essential developmental skill in every child’s life. Yes, it can be quite a daunting task, which can be even more stressful when you are training twins. But don’t despair, they can master this skill quickly with your dedication and patience as long as you know when to start potty training twins.