72 hours…
72 hours and the twins are “potty trained”… !! I say that with air quotes because as of now they have only peed on the potty, and they are only day-time trained. BUT… in 72 hours they went from wearing diapers full-time when awake, to underwear, and despite having appointments in the days since, being out with us running errands, and going to daycare, they haven’t had an accident in those underwear yet…knocks on wood. If you aren’t familiar with three-day potty training I highly recommend you take a peek at what it entails.
Even though we know all kids are different, including our own, we hoped that 2.5 (the age we potty trained our oldest using this same method) was the “sweet spot” age, and planned to kick off the three-day bootcamp in April. However… when we realized that was right around spring break, and our desperation for a trip was greater than our desire to cut down our diaper expenses - we pushed training back a month (priorities…lol).
Truthfully, there aren’t many details or “steps” involved with this method which is why we were so willing to try it with the twins. Staying in the house for three-days (as is required for this method) was a bit of an inconvenience, but far more palatable than the idea of potty training that dragged on for months - especially with two. So… we picked a few days that worked for our schedule, grabbed the supplies, gave the twins a heads up they were about to “graduate” to big boy/big girl status, and that was that! Keep reading if you are curious about what and how we did it!
Clear your schedule - For three days you and your little(s) have to stay in the house. With our oldest we trained over Labor Day weekend and decided never to do a weekend again. The FOMO was too real…lol. This year, we picked three random days during the week, and luckily for us it rained almost non-stop those three days which made it that much easier to stay in.
Be prepared - Make sure you have all the supplies you need, including liquids (that they will actually drink) so their bladders get full - often. You will also need towels, a training seat for your toilet, or a small kid potty, a change of clothes (tops since the method recommends no bottoms), potty training books if you chose, and treats if you are going that route (read below).
Choose your rewards… or not - We kept a literal bucket of “treats” (aka small toys, cookies, snacks, etc.) near the bathroom as a reward for successful trips to the potty; however, I instantly regretted it. One because I went overboard with the treats when I could have just given them stickers. Two, because treats may not have been necessary at all - they seemed just as excited about gaining our praise, and three… because I may have been able to get them to go No. 2 on the potty if I reserved the bigger rewards for it.
Be consistent - Three day potty training requires a commitment up front (honestly so many parts of parenthood do…) but that consistency is worth it in the long run. For the first couple days you will need to take your little one to the potty every fifteen minutes… yes… every… fifteen…. minutes. Like, set a timer and restart it every time their cheeks leave the seat. With the twins we had a seat for our regular toilet, and a small potty in the bathroom and we alternated who used what so neither child got too “attached” to either…
Sleep and day time training - Similar to sleep training, tackling overnight potty training is a whole different beast. We personally decided to separate the two since neither my son or daughter wake up with dry diapers, and they haven’t transitioned to toddler beds yet. We did the same with my oldest and had no issues… honestly I prefer to let them get confident with their potty training in the daytime, when they are fully aware of what is going on with their body… and then transition to nighttime training. If you choose to separate the two, getting rid of diapers altogether is preferable so they are not confused and you can make a big deal about their transition to “big boy/big girl” status by letting them see you get rid of the diapers. For sleep we use pull-ups or Goodnights since they go on like underwear.
And there you have it my friends. It’s been a full week since they have been trained and I just received a note from daycare about how amazing they are doing with potty-training. That said… accidents will happen and that is okay. I also realize their success is dependent on us being consistent and adaptable even in less-than-ideal situations (a.k.a. car rides, anywhere outdoors, public places, etc. lol).
As a bonus tip - my husband and I travel with a portable potty for the twins so we can avoid emergencies and/or having to use public restrooms if possible. If you do the same be sure to keep wipes handy, and line the potty with a diaper before they go so you can just roll it up and throw it away when they are done!
Let me know below what method you tried, or plan to try, for potty training and any tips you learned!!