The Potty Training Quadruplets Video Diaries: Part I
Potty training quadruplets might turn out to be the hardest thing we’ve encountered since midnight/3 am/6 am feedings! However, we’re determined to stay positive, make the best of it, and laugh at ourselves along the way! Wanna join us?
We are attempting to train all 4 boys at the same time, but first we needed the ultimate motivator:
UNDERWEAR!
This is “The Booty Camp Video Diaries, Part I” of most likely a several volume series.
What’s been the best motivation for you kid(s)?
With my daughter, I used the padded Gerber underwear while she was in the initial stages of potty training. It holds in so much more pee than normal underwear did when she had an accident but it still got wet and felt like normal underwear when she wore them. The best dvd for her was Elmo's Potty Time. She still watches it once and a while and she's fully trained. GOOD LUCK!
Great job so far! make sure to let them pick out their own big kid underpants and let them know they are now a big kid and this is what big kids wear…
What ever you do, do not go back to diapers because this tends to confuse children more.
No matter what be sure to stay Positive, dedicated and consistent!
Best of luck!
That is so cute!! Glad they were so happy to pick out their UNDERWEAR! 🙂
Our best motivator for sure was seeing a bigger kid friend (a 4 year old) use the potty when she would come over to play.
Whoppers! Any effort rewarded with one little candy treat. Once we started doing #1 on the potty we introduced the Check E Cheese reward – after a #2.
The crazy thing with both my kids – once they did #2 on the potty they were trained 100%. It's like they understand how much better that feels and never want to go in their underwear again.
Hang in there! It will happen before you know it!
You are THE woman! I have only potty trained Emma and couldn't imagine doing 4 at a time. It definitely takes a lot of patience. With Emma I just kept telling her that big girls go pee pee in the potty and so does Mommy and I kept trying to put her on it. At first she would jump down with no success and then pee on our tile floor! It was horrible. I started on a Friday so that my husband could help over the weekend. Well by Sunday I was so ready to give up. Just wanted to cry. Well we kept it up and on that next Wednesday she just started going potty! I couldn't believe it. I would give her 4 M&Ms; each time she went b/c that's her favorite treat and that really helped. We did the M&M; thing for a few weeks and then we stopped.
Good luck and keep us posted! You seem to have tons of patience so you'll do fine. 🙂
Cuteness x 4!! They looked so excited to be buying underwear…I love that you let them all pick out their own and I absolutely loved that one of them was holding Hello Kitty. LOL
Good luck with the training, can't wait to see how it's going for you ALL!
I'm sorry but I don't understand the reference to Roots? I am a little offended.
They are adorable! LOVE the pink underwear!
I waited on our boys, but still tried to ask them if they were ready to try it. Surprisingly, the one I thought would be harder was the easiest! He kind of just decided one day he was done wearing diapers and that was that for him (like our older two boys). I thought peer pressure would work – if he's doing it, I'm gonna do it – but it actually took at least two FULL weeks before another one wanted to try. Our third one, who I KNEW was going to be difficult due to some developmental delays WAS the hardest and not interested *at all* at first. Now, he loves going and does fantastic at home, but when we are out, he has the most trouble/accidents…but he's getting there! Stickers was the biggest motivator – they get one little for #1 and two little or one "big" (special) one for #2. That was what kept the first one going and the other two were a touch jealous of him for his stickers (which was the point – my triplets are *competitive* and I used that to our advantage for potty training).They also got to pick out their own unders and they each picked out the same kind – boxer briefs! Too funny!!
The biggest thing right now is they go constantly when we are out somewhere, and they went constantly at home for a time, but it will stop soon. It's so exciting!
Do they have an older (potty trained) friend they admire? That was the biggest motivation for our second boy. The first just decided one day to be potty trained – I knew that wasn't normal. It took a lot longer for our second boy than our first – continue to reinforce what works, but DON'T stress if you feel like it's taking forever. It may seem like forever, but waiting until they truly get it will save you lots of time, frustration, and accidents!! Good luck!
All – Thanks so much for the encouragement! You have no idea how far that goes on a tough day(s)! So thankful to share the ups and downs of parenting quads with all of you!
Anon – My reference to Roots was simply as to the length. I believe it's a 12 volume series. I am sorry that you were slightly offended. That was certainly not my intent. I have removed it and appreciate your honest input.
So sweet. Thanks for sharing.
Hang in there. I went into panic mode when it came time to potty train Lil Man. I didn't have a clue where to even start. I'd never potty trained a boy before! It went much smoother than I thought it would. Having him in daycare around other little boys who was also potty training helped immensely. You may have a huge stroke of luck with training four little boys at the same time. One will inspire the other. Also make sure when Dad goes … the boys go. He's will be their best instructor!
Good Luck!!
I know a lot of people use candy as an incentive. I personally didn't care for the idea of using food as a reward so I used stickers. Bought a big poster board and named it "the potty board". Every time she would go potty (or even try in the beginning) – she got to put a sticker (or 2) on the board. It worked really really well.
KS
Oh I am going to follow this closely… I am in denial with my 2 year old trio of boys!!! Can't wait to see how they do… Good Luck!!!
Oh…I forgot to add. All three of my boys did not "sit" on the potty to go peepee. Two of them stood from the get go (even though one is tiny…just stands on tiptoes!) and our third one kneels on the seat and pees into the potty forward facing; kind of like standing, but not totally. We just keep our potties extra clean! Also we never used a potty chair – not for any of my kids whom I've trained so far!
Okay, that was simply adorable!! LOVE it. Thanks for sharing what I'm sure will be a wonderfully long edition of the "Potty Training Diaries!"
I have to say that the only motivation for Jack was cool underwear. He wasn't a fan of candy, or chocolate so that didn't work. So the froggy potty and cool underwear finally did it. Good luck. They are so cute!!!!
Oh my goodness…I love their little voices!
So glad they all picked out their own kind of underwear!!
Best of luck to you…looking forward to many more videos!!
(I just hope with no more Hello Kitty appearances! lol)
I have potty-trained three kids–but not all at once! Good luck! What I found that worked well, and was lots of fun for my little boys, was a sticker reward system. I agree with KSDallas, and I don't really believe in using food/candy for a reward–but I know that is what works for some kids as a motivator. Anyway, I drew a big potty poster and hung it on the back of the bathroom door. Then, I made stickers (yep, pee-pee stickers and poo-poo stickers)! Everytime my little guy went #1 or #2, he got to put the corresponding sticker in the "potty"–he LOVED it! When his potty was filled up, he got to go pick out a reward at the store, and he was potty trained quickly as he tried hard to fill his "potty" poster!
P.S. Be thankful for little boys. They are so convienent to potty train! When you are driving, you can just pull the van over to the side of the road, open the door, and let him go! (we live in a rural area) Also, little boys don't have to touch anything in public bathrooms!
Best wishes on your grand adventure!
I have 3 girls and 1 boy that just turned 3. After hearing all these horror stories of potty training boys I was really worried about potty training my son. I told him diapers were for babies and we were getting ready for a trip to Disney World so I told him that babies are not allowed in Disny World if they wear diapers. Well it worked like a charm, and the boy was COMPLETELY potty trained in a day and has not had any accidents since day 1! He really was a piece of cake to potty train! Good Luck!
Too cute! Keep the videos comin'!
Be careful with the potties. My son is 5 and still only uses the potty for poo-poo. He refuses to use the toilet.
Good luck! (didn't mean to scare you… just saying(writting).
Each of my twins had a sticker sheet on the fridge. Each time they went they got a sticker and ONE M&M.; Marly took to it right off the bat. Dean didn't want to. After 2 days of watching Marly get stickers and a treat… he wanted to go to.
However you do it. GOOD LUCK TO YOU!! Hang in there!!
I tried everything with my son. I mean everything. Putting new toys out of his reach where he could see them but didn't receive them until he went 2-3 times in a row. The things the worked best for him was jelly beans and I put a chart up in the bathroom and put stickers on it when he went that worked like a charm. Also on t.v. they showed that if you made them change the underwear themselves when they had an accident that worked for us but we only have one not four. Just rememer when they are ready it will take off and try not to get frustated or give up. Once my son was potty trained he didn't have many accidents and sleeps all night in underwear. He did that on his own he just wouldn't let me put on pull up anymore. I put a mat under the bed that you can buy at wal-mart or target in the bedding section. Good Luck.
So cute- I love that one picked Hello Kitty panties. Ha!
That was completely adorable. What cute kids you have. And that was a great song, too. 🙂 Good luck!
-Holly
Mine love m&m;'s 🙂 Good luck!!!!
um candy and fruit snacks. LOL
and my son only likes to go standing up. he was a little confused why he needed to sit down. And its great for when we are in public, he literally touches NOTHING in the bathroom because he stands up. so no yucky germs! HA!
good luck!! And don't worry if it takes longer than you thought….they will be potty trained eventually. 🙂 We are still working on staying dry at bed time. and Luke is 3.5