Advice and Tips for Potty Training Twins and Multiples

Potty training one child with The Potty Boot Camp program is difficult enough - potty training twins and multiples is multiplying the problems for parents. There is one great advantage with potty training multiples however; sibling rivalry. Once one child masters the potty and gets the praise and rewards, the others will strive to follow suit as soon as possible.

Having twins does not always mean you need two of everything, but when it comes to potty training you will definitely need two potties. You do not want your twins having a tug of war with a full potty! As well, when it comes to potty time you don’t want children fighting over who gets to go first. Be prepared to find that twins are not identical in every aspect and will develop at different times when it comes to potty readiness. Studies have proven that girls are usually ready sooner than boys to potty train, and this is true even of twins. Even if the twins are of the same gender, one may be ready sooner than the other to potty. Simply train the one who is ready and watch the other one strive to receive the attention and rewards that come with successfully potty training.

If you do potty train multiples simultaneously they will benefit from the companionship and could feed off the competitiveness to achieve success. However the opposite result could also be achieved. One child’s success could cause the other to regress in an attempt to get some negative attention or as a statement of defiance. Potty training together may also be distracting and if it turns into playtime, could get very messy as well. It may be more effective to potty train one on one and try to keep the children separated when using the potty. Having them separate may also incite the competitive aspect of potty training.

The delicate balance between competition and cooperation can be tested by the use of rewards during potty training of multiples. Giving one child a reward and praise for success on the potty and not giving the other child anything can cause a competitive response to spur the child on, or it can cause tantrums and regression. As parents, you will have to trust your judgment and use your discretion to decide what is the best reward and how to balance the awarding of praise to create the best results and avoid tantrums or jealousy.

Potty training multiples can be easier if all children are on the same schedule. When children eat, drink and sleep on the same schedule it can make it easier for them to use the potty at the same time, regardless of developmental stages. Keep your children on similar diets and similar schedules and you will find they will be easier to potty train together.

You should definitely expect a greater mess when potty training multiples. Stock up on cleaning supplies and put way the expensive rugs or blankets. Accidents will happen, be calm and matter-of-fact and enlist the child’s help when cleaning up the mess. Use gates to keep potty training children out of area that you want to keep clean and dress them in clothes that are easily removed and easily cleaned. In many ways, potty training multiples is the same as potty training a single child; being patient and supportive will go a long way to achieving success, you’ll just need to spread more love around.