Okay, Nannies - what is your best way to toilet train?

[Anonymous]

I have been the nanny to twins - a boy and a girl - since their birth. What is your favorite way to potty train? The parents will go along with whatever I suggest EXCEPT the Oh, Crap method as they do not want the kids wetting their cribs at night and want them in night diapers. The twins just turned two and one of their best friend's, who is almost two is already potty trained and they are are very interested when she uses their potties.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Hi! Nanny and former two year old teacher. The most important part is that all the adults are on the same page and are CONSISTANT! When I would start the potty training process, I would introduce the children to the toilet and get them use to sitting on the toilet (not expecting them to do something right away). I created potty charts (when we really started)- The potty charts seemed to get the children excited about the process. You sit 1 sticker, pee 2 stickers, poop you get a prize (stickers, crayons, books etc.). And then you could up it to okay if you pee/stay dry the entire day we can go here or you’ll get a special treat at the end of the week. I would start with having them sit every hour and then, the real hassle starts with sending them every 30-40 minutes. Potty training can be stressful, and not just for the adults but the children as well. Praise! Praise! Praise them! All children are different. I’ve potty trained children in 1 month and then had others that took almost 3 months. If parents are open, after like week three, I would go cold turkey! Put them in underwear and let them know there is no more pull-ups! But don’t beat them down when they have accidents, encourage them to change themselves of course with your assistance, but this will also help them realize peeing in the potty is so much easier than peeing on myself and having to change myself- these kids are smart! Oh, and read lots of potty books! Good luck!

[Anonymous]

When I used to work in a home daycare center, the children would be potty trained by 2.5 years old or less and that's because they would see the older kids using toilet and wanted in on it as well...monkey see and monkey do. If your chrages are curious when they see their friend doing it, could be that they are developmentally ready to start but even though they are around the age to start, I would want the parents to first take them to their pediatrician to determine that. Also when you actually start, keep it fun, lower the expectation and expect it to take a while so patience. Also girls usually potty train quicker than boys and nightime success will take even longer. As far as my favorite way to potty train, I really dont have one. We just put them on toilet for 5 min at a time and reminded them a lot (every hour or so).

[Anonymous]

Here is how I did it with my current charge: All summer I let her run around bottomless outside or in underwear. She would would always wet her pants or pee in the grass (once she pooped in the grass) and would identify what happened and tell her that soon pee-pee and poo-poos were going to go in her new potty. Once day, her little friend came over and used her potty - and that was it. My charge used the potty and her mother was there. We decided in that moment to put underwear on her and never look back. A couple of accidents and potty trained at 21 months.

The problem with these kids in disposable diapers is that they don't feel wet and are removed from what urinating does. Most 14 month olds know and can tell you when they are pooping but I have never had a kid in disposables who told me when he was urinating.

My charge is two now and still wears night diapers for overnight but not for nap.

[Anonymous]

Do the Oh Crap method for a couple days at home and just skip the no night diapers part. It worked for my charge even though he is in night diapers still at 3.

It is a full day - schedule nothing else. You could even do one child at a time. Start with the boy.

[Anonymous]

Sit them on potty after meals and before naps.