Slippery When Wet

Have toddlers? How often do you get asked ‘so have you started potty training yet?’? I get asked a lot. I understand when other parents in similar situations ask. They are like me, looking for help and support. But I don’t get why others need to know. Anyway. It means I am always thinking about it.


I did some reading up on the variations of the 1/3 day methods. These are the ones that at their basis involve having your toddler run around with no bottoms (no diaper, no underwear) and stay home for 3 days. You get them on a potty or toilet as close to when they start to pee as possible. You offer to let them pee before naps and bedtime (where you put a diaper on them if you are smart). At the end of the 3 days, most kids are around 75% of the way there. You don’t go back to diapers or training pants (except while sleeping) and deal with the misses. They very strongly suggest you have both parents some for the entire 3 days (and if one can’t be there, to get someone else). It’s said this method works best before they are 28 months. I can’t find anyone who’s tried it with twins to see how they did it.

No, we did not potty train this long weekend. But I decided to see how it would be to go diaper and pantless for one day, with only me. Yup, insane, I know. Overall, I think they are close to being ready. They know when they have to pee or poop. They can go 4 or more hours between peeing. They are no longer afraid of their pee.

We started after breakfast (which we had out with friends). The potty’s were in the living room. I picked any stuffed animals and books off the floor (making sure there was nothing that couldn’t be easily washed – I’m a realist after all). The boys love being bottomless so that was no big deal.

I asked regularly if they needed to pee, met with a resounding ‘no’ each time. They like to sit on the potty while I read to them, so we did that for a while. Nothing. Then Corwyn started to pee. I managed to get the potty under a few drops of it and we celebrated. Well, I celebrated and they looked at me like I was insane.

We got to lunch with no more peeing. Nap happens after lunch. I again offered the bathroom (potty or toilet) but no takers. So into a pullup for their nap.

I should have known better. Corwyn woke up a couple hours later. Nathan was still sleeping. I picked him and his monkey up and brought them to the living room. I noticed on the way that he was already bottomless. Uh oh. Monkey was soaked. I had to sneak it away and get it and his blanket washed before bedtime. Luckily, it was just pee.

So, the afternoon went much like the morning for a while. Then I saw Corwyn pee. Unfortunately, Nathan was on my lap and I couldn’t get the potty under him quick enough. He actually slipped and fell into it. So I mopped it up, cleaned him up. Then I went to toss the towel and wet clothes in with the dirty clothes. I came back seconds later to the sound of laughter and splashing. Lots of laughter and lots of splashing. You guessed it. Nathan peed, exactly where Corwyn had and both were having a blast. Sigh. Good thing it was bath night.

So at the end of the day, I learnt a few things. Boys will play with their penis every second of every day if they have access to it. Seriously. You should have at least 2 adults around when potty training this way, well 2 when you are potty training 1 toddler, I have no idea the recommended numbers for twins. My floors are very slippery when wet. The boys are probably at the right stage to start potty training now.

Am I going to try it on my own? Hell yes. I’m going to wait until we get back from our family camp weekend next month. I don’t want to totally mess up their routine that early into it. I don’t want to use the next long weekend to do it because it’s going to be fun. So I’ll take a day off work and make it a long weekend on my own (hopefully the weather sucks and we won’t want to go outside). I’m leaning towards the end of June. Friends will be welcome to come by to help while we’re training. If you don’t want to be there for the actual process, you can come by in the evenings after they are in bed to see if I still have my sanity.

No potty training pictures, but here is a shot from back of Corwyn’s haircut. I removed his Florence Henderson mullet. I still need to trim and even it, but the boy is so active that he’s lucky he has 2 eyes and 2 ears left. He looks so much more boyish. Some pictures from the front to follow.