We asked other twin moms about potty training so you don’t have to!
Hi! We are Gal and Lauren, friends, and co-founders of The Mom Juice, an empowerment network helping moms to prioritize self-care by making it more accessible in their daily lives.
Over the next few months we will be sharing our different personal experiences and approaches to the same major parenting milestones.
This month we tackle the big question—how to potty train twins?! Although there is no one-size-fits-all way to go about potty training twins, we gathered top tips from other twin moms in hopes of making your transition out of diapers easier.
Tip #1
“Just because they’re twins, you should treat them as individuals when deciding whether or not to train them.”—Marie A.
Seems like common sense, but there is something about potty training that makes it easy to forget this simple fact. If one twin is showing signs of readiness, rushing the other is a surefire way to make the whole process more complicated for all parties involved. You can wait and potty train them both together or potty train one at a time. Sometimes seeing one getting potty trained encourages the other to give it a go too. But at the end of the day, each child is unique and will get it when he/she is ready.
Tip #2
“We waited until both twins were showing signs of readiness. That is key.”—Carolyn C. L.
There is so much out there about how to potty train and when to do it. Everyone will give you their two cents and it will seem like they know best. But, just like everything else, YOU are the expert on your family. Period.
Tip #3
“The method was pretty easy to follow and if we could tackle this in 3 days, that would guarantee satisfaction for us!”—Lauren C.
“We tried when they were 20 months old, but they just weren’t getting it. Right before they turned three they decided to do it, and they did!”—Gal S. R.
Whether you use Potty Training in 3 Days, Oh Crap! Potty Training, a mish-mash of methods, or just figure it out as you go along, you are a great parent. Whether it clicks right away or longer than anticipated, you are a great parent. If you think it’s the right time only to realize it isn’t so you go back to diapers for a bit longer, you are a great parent. Some methods make you feel like a failure for not having a successful outcome, but don’t forget that everyone ends up getting potty trained. Please don’t add more stress and guilt to your plate. Their future job interview will not care at what age they ditched the diapers.
Tip #4
“Two boys. It was easiest for me to keep them naked and outside so I timed it for summer. I had to turn it into a very extravagant game.”—Andrea C. K.
“After they’re peeing regularly and seem dry most of the time, switch to rewarding them for being dry.”—Samantha R. L.
Keep it fun for everyone! Play peeing games, use reward/ sticker charts, reread their favorite books on potty training, pretend their toys use the potty—the possibilities are endless. Set a timer for every 30 minutes or so and don’t obsess over it. Keeping it light will signal that there is nothing to worry about and help them get excited about the milestone!
Read Next | Sleep Training for Twins
Tip #5
“We had the oxo portable potties in the car AT ALL TIMES so no matter what we could have them use a potty and not a diaper.”
—Carolyn C. L.
What is the best gear to use for potty training? Like everything else, there is no right answer. Do what works best for you and your family. With that being said, some favorites are a travel potty like this one or this one. Some moms swear by having a seat for each child and some believe it is best to have a seat for the toilet. If you decide to get a separate seat, consider this one or this one. A seat for the toilet can be something like this or this.
Good luck mama!
We look forward to sharing more with you about our journeys and welcome any questions/ comments / your experiences at info@themomjuice.com or @themomjuice!
Lauren Carasso is a lifestyle expert, self-care advocate, and full-time working mom. Her professional background includes nearly 15 years in public relations working with entertainment and lifestyle clients. She is passionate about meditation, fitness, yoga, matcha lattes, and taking advantage of all that living in the NYC-metro area has to offer. Originally from New Jersey, Lauren currently lives in Westchester County with her husband, David, and 4-year-old twins, Alexander and Bella.
Gal Shyli is passionate about all things fitness, wellness and ‘mom life.’ She is a HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educator, pre/postnatal exercise specialist, and postpartum doula who runs Embrace: Birth and Beyond. Self-care and community have been paramount in her life as a mom, and she hopes to empower others to prioritize both as well! Gal currently lives in Westchester with her husband, Seth, her 3-year-old twins, Lev and Shai, and one-year-old Raz.
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