Triplet Potty Training Diary – Week 1

Potty training triplets is not an event that I have been looking forward to. Dreading, would probably be the best word to describe it. It is one of those things that during the first week after finding out we were having triplets I kept thinking, “But how would I potty train triplets?” “Oh my goodness, I’m going to have to potty train them all at once!” “I’m not good at potty training one child at a time, let alone three!” etc. etc. Over the years, those thoughts, and other similar to it are on loop through my mind.

And here we are at the time when potty training has commenced. The questions have not been answered yet. I still have no idea how we’re going to achieve this objective of having three children out of nappies. But, just like everything in parenting and life, it’s just a case of putting one foot in front of the other and sooner or later you reach your destination.

So, I’m the more spontaneous variety of parent. I didn’t have a carefully mapped out plan of how to potty train, but I had some ideas based on what I’ve been hearing lately, talking to others and my own experience with my eldest two boys. My basic direction I was heading was getting the children to wear knickers/training pants for as much as possible during the day for the first week. Trent normally wore nothing at all below his shirt when he potty trained, so I knew that was a possibility. My goal for this week was to have them recognising what a wee is and to start to associate doing a wee and going to the toilet/potty. Once again, Trent hated using the potty and favoured the toilet, which I thought was terrific. I hate cleaning potties out. So, I’m hoping to direct them to the actual loo as quickly as possible. Immy already quite likes sitting on the toilet, but it doesn’t seem like she ever actually does anything in it. But at least she’s not scared of it!

During this ordeal process, I thought I might keep a potty training diary. Maybe it will be helpful for someone else who wants to potty train triplets, hopefully it will be entertaining to one and all. (I have been told by many that it was entertaining reading about the week before we began shopping for training pants) If it gets too disgusting though, I might just have to abandon the project! So here goes: potty training, week 1!

Planned Day 1 of Potty Training
Since my plan was to have the children running around sans nappies, I knew that I’d be spending a lot of time with them. Monday morning I was looking around my house feeling overwhelmed. It was so untidy and the floors were horrible. It was a complete mess and really needed attention. But then, I’ve been meaning to start potty training for ages, so I thought there’s no good time to start. My husband was also very ready for me to start, so I thought I would just bite the bullet and start.

And then my Mum, who was going to take eldest son to Kindy couldn’t do it. So I got all the triplets dressed and ready to walk into kindy, we were running late so I jumped quickly into the car with my handbag and not much else. We went into kindy, said goodbye to Trent and I figured that since it was time for their normal playgroup that I was planning to skip in order to potty train, and it had been the holidays and they had missed it for a couple of weeks we would go there first and then I’d start once we got home.

Except when I had all the kids loaded in the van ready to go home, the car wouldn’t start, despite it having a new battery last week. Of course this had to be one of the only times that I didn’t bring my phone, so I had to borrow phones, find my husband’s work number in the phone book, because I never type his number in. He phoned a mechanic, who sent his apprentice, who had no idea, so left and got reinforcements – much later. In the meantime it started to rain. Luckily the kids were allowed back into the playgroup room and the toys were unpacked for them. Finally the mechanics arrived back and the news wasn’t good. The starter motor had died. The truck had to be taken away on a tilt tray truck.

Luckily the triplet stroller was in the car, so I walked up to my brother’s house, which is a bachelor pad, so wasn’t too triplet friendly. (I still haven’t too him that they jumped on his lap top…) Eventually The Accountant came and rescued us and took us home for a late lunch. The triplets were exhausted and ready for bed. I borrowed a car to do the school and kindy run, it was raining again, there was no way I was starting potty training that day!

Actual Day 1 of Potty Training
The Accountant is extremely enthusiastic about the commencement of potty training. Of course an accountant would, be, not needing to purchase nappies anymore is just the type of boost to the household budget that gets most people excited, and the financial minded parents even more so! So, he left all happy and smiling.

Once again, the state of the house was bothering me, but I just decided to get started with the training.

I took a deep breath in and took off their nappies. Let me tell you, they were not impressed at all about putting pants on. Not.At.All. Imogen particularly lamented long and loudly.

We played together, there was no action. I dropped all of their pants while I pegged clothes on the line.

Juice was a special potty training treat, dual purpose of course!

They delighted running around with their little bottoms basking in the sunshine. It was an exciting moment when Jayden did a wee and everyone stood watching in awe, not least of all the urinator himself who was amazed and proud that it was happening to him. (He has been known to stand over a sprinkler and claim the water spouting out was his own.) After enthusiastic clapping by Mummy and then his brother and sister running and walking through the golden river, they continued to play until we went inside for lunch and a sleep.

Jayden’s big moment!

In the afternoon they played outside with Miss Stacey, (our new in home carer, Miss Rachael has moved onto being a teacher. Something I have half written about last December, but never posted. I’m still debating if I should it’s so ridiculously belated.) I did catch Jayden doubling over in a funny way, rushed him to the toilet and he did a wee! Much celebration as one does for toddlers who are learning about bodily functions.

Days 2-3
I had wanted to be around the children and really concentrate on learning when they are doing a wee (or poo, but ugh. That’s all so yucky.) Unfortunately life interrupts these plans a lot. I had neglected to write some school events on my calendar and there were errands to do in town. Miss Stacey spent a lot of time with the children outside. I feel guilty that I’m

not there. Stacey has been putting them in pants in the afternoon for awhile now, so it’s not that new for them with her. I had wanted this week to be intensive, but it’s not shaping up to be that way.

Day 4
I had 3 families coming over for dinner in the evening. Of course the house was getting worse and worse. I had to abandon project potty and leave them in nappies most of the day. There was just no way I could tidy up through the house and keep an eye on their cues. It would just make the task greater having to clean up messes, not to mention finding them. The triplets aren’t fussed in the slightest, they all prefer the nappies. I’m worried how strongly Immy and Toby object to not wearing them. I don’t want this to be a negative experience. By the evening, the house was half respectable. The floors are a complete mess and grossing me out. By the end of the evening after 11 children eating, they were much worse, so it’s probably a good thing I didn’t get time to mop.

Day 5-6
I had more families coming around for Sunday lunch, so I was still madly cleaning so nappies stayed on. I still didn’t have time to do the sweeping and mopping. I’m glad for the dark coloured tiles in the house because it hides my embarrassment somewhat. We did craft with no nappies in the afternoon! Even with the limited pant time the kids have been getting I’m already getting very tired of dirty pants. Sigh. This was to be expected, of course it’s never pleasant.

Day 7
My floors were finally addressed! Well swept, almost the whole house. No chance at all for mopping. Toddlers interfere with the most menial tasks. As for potty training. Meh.

I have abandoned the intensive plan and am now opting for “wearing pants whenever possible” plan. This is because I am a “do what seems to be working for me” type of parent. I think this journey is going to be a marathon rather than a sprint. Sigh.

The other interference to the project is that the weather has turned bitterly cold, so it’s no longer possible to be running around in pants (or nothing) outside. We shall see if we abandon the project and wait for Spring. I’ll keep trying for a bit longer though. At this stage Jayden is showing interest, but apart from Day 1 has not performed. Immy is stubborn about not having a nappy but seems to know about what to do on a toilet, will sit on it happily but no success. Toby appears to have very little understanding and interest.

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT (I Blog On Tuesday). Having glanced at the clock, I have to admit it’s not Tuesday here anymore. But I think it pretty well classifies as Tuesday if you haven’t been to bed yet. But in any case, it’s still Tuesday elsewhere…

And yep. You can tell it’s late because I’m blabbering…

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