Need Help Potty Training - Cincinnati,OH

Potty training is something that can't be forced and if they're not showing signs of interest then let it be!!! If you try to force it or do any negative response they will only fight it that much harder. This is something that parents need to learn, they DO NOT have control over. They will do it in due time. My twins (boy/girl) who are 8 now, were 3 1/2 before we totally got it done and you know what I didn't care!!! I wasn't going to make them and myself crazy about it. It's not like they're going to start school in diapers, they will do it and it will be when they're ready. Goodluck

If the kids are not ready to use the potty, you are just going to have to wait for them to be.

I tried with my son from the age of two till he was three, and pretty soon we were both resentful of each other. His "twin", who is actually a year younger, trained herself while seeing me struggle with her brother.
I'd say to wait till at least one of the two showed some interest.
A wise woman told me "they're all potty trained by the time they leave home"

Pull ups!!! Use pull up and let them go in the bathroom when you go. They will catch on really the only thing else id to disapline when they go in the diaper..also if poop in diaper take it to the toliet and place it in there show them psyically thats where it has to go!! Dont force it though that will just take longer> Just keep asking if they have to go to the potty! Well I hope I have been helpful.
Jen
mother of 4 years old

I would just wait, sorry mama! They'll know when they're ready. It won't hurt to keep offering the potty, and to tell them when you or your husband are going; but the more you push the more they will resist. GL!

You don't. You're trying WAY too hard. Plus, potty training is the one thing that you have absolutely no control over. You can encourage it sure, but it isn't like having them clean up their room or finish their dinner or something...with this, the bodily functions are totally up to them. And many times, the harder you push, the more they'll resist, and you've got double-trouble with trying to get it done with twins!!!

I'd wait until they are closer to 3 to 3 1/2 first of all. BUT make sure you have potty chairs for both of them. You can introduce some sort of reward system like a chart where you put stars on it every time they potty in the potty. Or you can set the timer every 30 minutes and have them go sit on the potty whether they have to go or not, or they just went.

What we found worked best was whenever they wanted to switch activities or do something different, get a drink or have a snack, watch a show, whatever. Every time..."You can have a snack, but you have to go potty first." "You can watch your show, but you have to go potty first." "You can color, but you have to go potty first." And every time before you go to leave the house for an errand - everybody goes potty.

For what it's worth....and good luck!

My son is 3 and we just starting really to talk about going on the potty! We have had success at times but he is not consistant. I do have a couple of idea's for you. My son loves the book once upon a potty ( it is made for boys and also a girl version) the book comes with a dvd also which is identical to the book! His other favorite is potty power dvd.
I just bought the book potty training in less then a day. which is potty success by ending in a potty party! We are in the process of planning our potty party! Hopefully, this will work. good luck to you and don't get frustrated we all want our children out of diapers but if they aren't ready they aren't ready. trust me you will lose this battle with your twins.

We started my twins at 2.5 (both girls) and as you have probably already found out, kids learn at their own pace. if they don't catch on to something one day, put it away and bring it out a week later and they may be interested. With my girls, we bought a kitchen timer and started it at 30 minutes. Every time it rang, we sang something like "its potty time, the potty clock just rang" and we'd go sit on the potties. They could sit for 10 minutes and go or not go, then we'd restart the potty clock. It took 2 weeks and my girls were trained. I found this to be extremeley effective - but you just wanna make sure they are ready. Your little girl may be ready, and her brother may take a bit longer to catch on. However, as a mom of twins I can tell you that if your little girl gets potty trained, your son will feed off that and probably catch on a bit quicker than a single boy with nobody to keep up with. Good luck.

My opinion from experience, they will do it on their own. I'm not kidding. I had my son, struggled from 2 and half until three and half with him over potty training. He was very smart and totally ready at 2 and half, and would occassionally go, but not all the time and not consistent. Literally a year later, I gave up and figured it would adventually happen. A week later he decided it was time to stay clean and dry and stopped having accidents. He is 6 and still in a pull up at night, and if he does take a nap he normally has an accident.
My neice is currently living with me. I set her potty out when I unpacked it. The next day she got up dry, and said I'm going to wear underwear now. She has had 2 accidents in the last week, both times she was TRYING to get to a potty and was further away than she thought she was (stuck outside and unable to get in the door fast enough). I have never had to remind her to go pee or anything. She has had trouble through the night and long naps.
Just wait until they say they are ready, otherwise its a battle and stressful for all involved.

Hi K.,

I am coming in late but just saw your posting.

I agree with not pushing it. However, if they have friends, neighbors, cousins etc who are a little bit older, it won't hurt your kids to see those children using the potty and receiving praise for it. I'm not saying you should go overboard gushing over them, but a sincere compliment or two might get your kids' attention (plus reinforcing the ones who are using the potty).

My Mom told me that once I saw a slightly older girl use the toilet, I got with the program real fast.

Just a thought. Good luck!

K. Z.

When they are ready, it is easy. You are fighting a losing battle trying to make them do it before they are ready.

Just wait until THEY tell YOU.....

I don't know if this will help but when my youngest ( now almost 5) was potty training, I had such a hard time. Well, what i did was I googled potty training and there is a website or two that gives hints andd suggestions for help with this. Anyway when we went to potty i made a song out of it and gave yeahs and applause when she did it and she responded very well with it.
Example : "(your child's name here), went in the potty,** went in the potty, ** went in the chair!" YEAH (clap clap) Let me know if this helps you at all.

If their not ready do not push them. Some kids develop psychological issues because of parents pushing them before they are ready. Each child is different and boys and girls are different. So expect your kids to start at different times and the girl may be easier than the boy. My daughter was early around 3 and my boys were later. One of my boys still has bladder issues. Please do what is right for each child. Ask them periodically to check for readiness but please don't push them.

I see that you already decided, but thought I'd share this book with you:
Parenting guide to toilet training : with a story for you and your child to share.

It will just support your decision, but I know in my life it helps to be able to share it with family members who don't approve of "waiting" till the child is ready.

Good luck! :)

When my sister was potty trianing her daugther, she got a potter chair and would take into the living room, and sit it my a low table and let brooklynn do puzzle while sitting on it even when she didn't need to go. Also when the potter chair was in the bathroom, my sister would sit on the big potter chair, with lid down and read her stories.
I work at the library and other moms have gotten video to watch and books.
I have a friend at work who has a son and when he used to the big potter, had him aim at a stop in the toilet like a game.