Potty Training Thus Far

For those of you who have absolutely no interest in the bodily functions of my children, please go read something else.

Still with me? Hey, thanks! I know, it's gross to some people, but if you're in the potty training stage or not looking forward to the potty training stage, or so glad that you're done with the potty training stage that you can laugh at me, then you can relate.

When I returned from my trip to Austin with my sister, in addition to bringing home many soothing kid-free memories of massages and margaritas by the pool, I also brought home a bunch of hand-me-downs. Some of those hand-me-downs were in the form of Thomas the Train underwear. (Editor's Note: Please delete this entry when boys are old enough to read so that they never know how excited they were to wear their cousins hand-me-down underwear.)

When Milo and Huck caught sight of the underwear they decided that they were ready to wear them. It was 7 A.M. and I was exhausted from the weekend, rushing around the house trying to get a load of laundry in and convince Annabella to get dressed and brush all the things that needed to be brushed and wash all the things that needed to be washed. My guard was down, so I said "yes."

Two weeks later, I haven't regretted my decision. We've had some accidents, especially when one of them is waiting for the other one to go (the joys of twins!). I keep remembering what Clay from the Dad Labs said on our podcast - "It's only pee." Of course, sometimes it's not only pee, which is a little more difficult to deal with, but certainly not as difficult as carrying and then giving birth to two 7.5 lb. babies and then nursing them. (That is, by the way, my way of coping with anything difficult.)

I should mention that the boys have been using the toilet before bed and naps for several months, but they never asked to use it and their diapers were frequently wet throughout the day. At the beginning I asked them every 10 minutes if they had to use the bathroom and then took them every 15 minutes whether they had to go or not. As the weeks have wore on, I ask more infrequently now they even tell me that they have to use the toilet...sometimes.   

Comments

[Ruth H]

It sounds to me your potty training has turned out just right. My guess is that you brought the underwear home at just the right time for the boys. They were ready and they were motivated. And by the way, coffee cans make excellent standby toilets for pee. Can't saw the same for the other, though.
Congratulations, diapers are best when you don't need them anymore.

[Michael Johnson]

Thanks Megan,

My wife and I's experience with our daughter was similar. Three months before my daughter's second birthday we bought a little potty and just placed it in the bathroom. Potty time became a group activity and our daughter would sit on her potty while my wife or I sat on the normal potty. One day while she was running around naked in the morning she surprised my wife and performed a number two in the little potty.

We applauded and cheered and got her a little gift. We didn't push but continued the course we had been on. She was still wearing diapers full time.

Just before her second birthday, we received a large bag of underwear from our daughters cousins. They had princesses and Dora and other fashionable little girl things on them. Our daughter went crazy for them and wanted to wear them.

My wife told her that she could wear them but had to stop using diapers and start using the potty every time she needed to pee-pee or poo-poo.

The first week or so was tough. Not many accidents but the timing and location of some of the accidents could have been better. But as we got better prepared for the accidents she had fewer and fewer of them.

We never used pull-ups. She dropped diapers cold. We used padded underwear for a while at night and always set out an extra set of bedding before bed. But the night time accidents ended quicker than the day time accidents.

When people ask us how we potty trained her we answer, "We didn't. She picked the time and potty trained us."

[Jean]

Yea Milo and Huck and Mommy!!! I can't wait until C is ready, but I will. He likes to sit and pee, but he only has control to go, not to avoid going. But he's young, so we have lots of time.

Thanks for the reminder that diapers don't last forever.

[Jennifer]

As I struggled through a diaper change with our 15 month old trying to climb off the changing table only half diapered this morning, I caught myself thinking, "I can't wait until...". And then I remembered that they next one is already on the way!

Congrats! It's the last big leap out of toddler-hood. Your kid related trip to the store luggage is about to get a lot smaller! Yeah!

[debinsf]

Wow! You are lucky! And you should get a break like that with twin boys and a big girl. You doggone deserve it!

My little would not be interested by ANYthing until just before her 4th birthday - not Thomas underwear, not hand me down princess underwear, not underwear with fruit on it, not CANDY! nothing.

My son was so much easier with everything.

but now we're done, and so are you! Congrats! Sounds like a good excuse for another margarita...

[Suburban Oblivion]

My youngest just got done, he's been in diapers for days straight now and finally wakes up to go potty. I am still in awe of never having to buy diapers again after having two in them at once for so long!

[Suburban Oblivion]

That should have been OUT of diapers. I'm a dork.

[Diandra]

Never seen a betetr post! ICOCBW