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Parents Info
Ready... Set... Go! This is when the fun really starts! Most people find having one toddler in the house a nightmare, but hey you have multiples! I have some bad and good news for you. Good news is that your multiples will be almost out of diapers soon! The bad news is they have to be Potty-trained! No Way!
Potty Training Multiples... How do you know when to start?
Some people say is best when:
Money for diapers runs out. (It that was the case I would of being broke months ago).
They start taking their diapers off.
They start wildly gesticulating to announce they have just done something in their diaper.
**Remember you are in full control of this so if you start, you must be committed to follow through. Your multiple needs lots of love, patience and praise to accomplish this task. However do not start when they are about to:
Change childcare.
When you are about to move.
When you are about to have another baby.
If one is ready before the other it's ok, you can train one and then the other will probably copy them. Easy enough huh?
Simple Do's and Don'ts for Potty Training Twins!
Buy them a potty chair each (multiples have a tendency of needing the potty simultaneously) Make sure they are kept somewhere accessible and in the same place every time (there is nothing worse than being desperate for the potty and having to hunt for it cross legged). Now, If you are really brave and have carpets that can stand it, let them have no diaper on, put a potty next to them and keep and wait. Remember input = output and the more input the more chance of a potty event actually happening. Have some goodies with you to reward attempts and successes. Accidents will happen so make sure to take your child to the potty if you note that he just have an accident. The reason being is so they can understand that every time they need to go... the potty is the place to go. Eventually they will be able to tell you when they need the potty and with practice will be able to take themselves.
Some people like those pull-up pants I find they are great if you are going for long journeys and at nighttime. However remember a diaper will do the same job as a pull up, and they are less expensive. After all the hard work… Finally dry at night! Generally it takes longer to manage dry nights and so you will need to put them into diapers or pull-ups at night until you are fairly confident that they will get up to the bathroom during the night. Remember to provide a night-light or leave the bathroom light on so they can see what they are doing!
Tantrums, biting, fighting and other behavioral problems!
Seemingly overnight your little angels suddenly become fighting biting toddlers! Not to mention having tantrums in public. Remember one thing it is very frustrating being a toddler. All those new rules, sharing, socializing... You know what you want but you don't know how to ask for it. Your mommy has just said you can't have that pack of candies at the supermarket checkout and so what do you do? Have a tantrum, Of course! This is especially effective if Mommy and Daddy are ignoring you, after all any attention is better than being ignored isn't it?
So what can you do?
No, do not buy them sweets or buy the other multiple the identical replica of the toy they were fighting over !). A good method, especially at home is to remove them for 2 minutes to calm down. Then explain that there is better ways of dealing with anger than having a tantrum, teach them simple phrases like " Please can I have a turn now?" etc and set a time limit (say each can play with the toy for a few minutes and then hand it back). If things are getting very tense at home then the best thing to do is get your go for a walk, get out of the house and clear the air.
Biting and Fighting is generally a stage they go to which is also caused mainly by frustration and will improve when they are more able to be patient and negotiate turns with things. Also behavior that you might prefer them not to indulge in, is often a symptom of boredom so Enroll them in a Pre-School or Play groups as soon as possible, it will give them lots of social skills:
Opportunities to mix with other children.
Have time apart from you.
Develop skills necessary for school.
Allow them to play with different toys.
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