How to know if the time is right?
This is the million dollar question. There are so many thoughts on this but one of the best indicators is the parents instinct. There are a lot of signs that a child displays when they are getting near to being trained such as:
- They can pull up and down their trousers
- They knows when they have soiled or wet themself
- They ask to use the toilet or show an interest in it
- They have stools that are solid and regular
- They can have dry nappies for longer periods of time
It is important to remember that when you decide to start training completely depends on the child and the parent. Don’t be pressured into it by anyone.
Be Prepared
Preparation is vital. It’s important you involve your child in the build up. Bring them to buy their new underpants/knickers. Make sure they know they are big boys/girls now. Some people buy reward charts and reward the child for every time they use the toilet/potty.
Have a lot of clothes near by to change into in case of an accident. Tracksuit pants are great as they are easy for the child to pull up and down.
Start using vests that stop at the waist for easier access..
A few pairs of washable shoes is a great investment as if they get wet, they can be thrown into the wash and used again and again.
Training Together
Some parents feel it’s better to train the multiples at the same time. Help is really needed with this as it can be difficult if they both want to go at the same time. It’s hard to make one wait so training together works better if you have someone helping you, It’s very important that each child gets the attention they need as this can be a very stressful time for the child too. Don’t be worried if one child gets the hang of it much quicker than the other, this is very normal. It’s sometimes a good idea to keep going with the child who is interested and leave the other(s) until they are a bit older.
Training one at a time
Many parents have found that training one at a time is less complicated. Quite often, one multiple can be ready before the other, this is very common with multiples of different sex.Training one at a time is a lot easier and less stressful on the parents and you can concentrate 100% on each child, give them the individual attention that they need. However, then you’ve to go through it all over again with the other child/children…………….
Potty or Toilet
There are many different types of potties on the market now. There are potties that have steps up to the toilet, have lids that convert to a step once the child has moved onto using the toilet and much more . A lot of parents use the potty to get the child used to going themselves and knowing the sensation of passing urine or stools and then graduate up to the toilet. But some children don’t want to use a potty and go straight to the toilet. Again this is something a parent will only know through intuition and experience.
Some children will train very quickly and have very few, if any, accidents. Others take longer, as again each child is different.
These are just some pointers when thinking about training your multiples. Just remember not to be pressured into it or to think that your multiples should be trained by a certain age. Go by your child and if it doesn’t work, leave it and try again another time. Remember, patience is a virtue…….good luck!