Observe your children

Are your toddlers afraid of loud noises? Do they seem sensitive and cautious regarding new adventures? Be aware that these type of children may feel more comfortable sitting on the potty close to the floor than on a large toilet. Read more about how to potty train successfully. This also goes for very young children. Some parents choose to buy a potty for very young children and then switch to a toilet training seat when they are older.

Toilet training at nursery

If your children are in nursery or daycare, consider using whatever they’re using. Your children may be more inclined using a toilet training seat or a potty, depending on what the other children in the nursery or daycare center use.

Ask your children

If your children are around the age of two or above, include them in the decision. Take them out shopping or show them pictures of a toilet training seat and a potty. Explain that they’ll soon be able to go to the toilet themselves, and ask them if they’d prefer a toilet training seat or a potty.

Did a toilet training seat or a potty work for your children? Leave a reply below this article and let us know what you chose.

Readiness is key

You need to consider if you may have pushed one or both twins too hard. Were they in fact ready to be potty trained? Even though it feels like a step backwards let them wear diapers again. However, keep placing them on the potty several times a day to practice. Try removing the diaper again when they reach their own optimal potty training age.

Handle stress appropriately

Some children experience potty training regression, when they face change. This can be related to a move or starting in kindergarten or school. It can also be caused by stress, such as being bullied or the arrival of a new sibling. When the situation is resolved or things have calmed down, the potty training regression issue will usually have solved itself. Try to get some alone time with both of your children and feel them out.

Evaluate your methods

Children have unique personalities and respond to different methods. Some might thrive with a potty training reward chart, whereas others feel immense negative pressure to perform. Ironically, being too afraid to fail could be the reason for your child’s potty training regression. Convince your children that it’s okay to have accidents and that you still consider them to be big boys or girls.

1. Realize that the diaper is wet and think it’s nice to get it off
2. Realize that he or she is peeing or pooping, and will mention it while it happens or right after it’s happened
3. Let you know before pooping – and, later, after peeing

Average potty training age

There are cultural differences in relation to potty training age. However, many children stop using diapers during the day between the age of 2 to 3. At night between the age of 3 to 5. Be aware, though, that this is on average. Some are younger and some are much older.

Be patient and supportive

There is a tendency for grown-ups to think that faster equals better. This is not the case. Children who are pushed to much will sometimes come to a standstill or even regress. Using the potty should be a positive experience, and a child should never be scolded for having an accident. Read more about how to successfully potty train your children.

Girls tend to be faster

When you’re thinking about the optimal potty training age, you need to be aware that girls are often a bit faster than boys. If you have fraternal twins it may very well be that the girl twin will be many months ahead of the twin boy. Don’t expect the same of your children, and accept that potty training age is individual and depends on the child.

Take a look at these 7 tips on potty training, before you start potty training twins.

1. Timing is crucial

Don’t start potty training twins, when something radically different is about to happen. This could be them starting in nursery or kindergarten, a move or getting a new sibling. Wait until things have settled down a bit, before you introduce them to the toilet or potty. This will make your potty training efforts more likely to succeed.

2. Starting up slow

Start by simply talking about it. Let them join you, when you go to the restroom (they’ll probably follow you anyway) and tell them what you’re doing, when you’re on the toilet (yes, that’s right!). For instance tell them “I’m peeing now,” “I’m wiping now,” (let them give you the paper), “I’m going to flush now” (let them flush) and “I’m washing my hands now” (let them wash their hands too). Tell them that they’ll soon be able to sit on the toilet themselves, and let them try it, if they want to (hold them tight, their tooshies are too small for ordinary toilet seats). If they’re very young warn them about the sound of the flush (it’s scary to some children).

3. Include and motivate

Take them out to buy potties or toilet training seats and let them decide the colour on their own. Buy them one each, so they feel individual ownership. The best way to potty train largely relies on the personality of your child, but one thing is key to all children – they need to be motivated. You can motivate them in many different ways, such as making up a funny song, when they pee (you may feel stupid, but they’ll love it). You can also let their favorite teddy try the potty or buy a few children’s books for them to read when on the potty. Think very closely before you hang up charts praising – and inadvertently comparing – them for their accomplishments. Make sure that potty training doesn’t become a competition between the twins, and one twin is left behind feeling inadequate.

4. Use a role model

If your twins have a playmate, who are further ahead with potty training, he or she could be a big motivational factor for them. Children copy other children and if they have a bond and play well together, your twins will try to mirror their friend. You should only use this method if they usually go to the bathroom together and are comfortable with it. You could also use an older sibling as role model.

5. Be aware of differences

Your twin toddlers may be ready to potty train at different times. You need to consider whether they should start potty training together or apart. If they are as much as six months or a year apart in readiness and they start out together, you may inadvertently make one twin feel very inadequate and the other could feel guilty. On the other hand starting them up together could be motivating for both of them. No matter what you choose to do, it’s crucial that you never compare them. Make sure that they know that faster isn’t necessarily better.

6. Dress them appropriately

When potty training twins you need to dress them in clothes they can pull off quickly. Onesies is a no go. Underwear is better. Let them wear dresses, skirts or joggers, they easily can pull down. Depending on the weather, it could be an idea to let them run around bottomless sometimes – this will save you some laundry (but you’ll be cleaning floors instead).

7. Don’t push them

Children will get out of their diapers eventually and use the toilet or potty. Don’t push them. It might backfire and prolong the process. Make sure that your standards for when children should be potty trained isn’t being forced upon them. Read more about age and potty training.