When you have a house full of kids, potty training a little one can feel more difficult than ever before. However, guys like us are problem solvers, and we’ve got good news for you: you can turn these obstacles into opportunities. Siblings are actually
a great help with potty training. However, you have to know the trick to using them effectively, and you have to go in with a plan. That’s where we come in. Keep reading to discover some of the ways siblings can help with potty training!
1. Modeling Behavior
One of the best ways to potty train your kid is to show them how to use the potty. However, it can be weird and uncomfortable for you to demonstrate it yourself. Why not get a sibling involved? Younger children are going to look at their older siblings as role models automatically. So having your older kid show the younger one how it’s done has two primary advantages. First, better them than you when it comes to showing someone how to poop and wipe. Secondly, they are much likelier to take to this good behavior after they have seen their older sibling do it.
2. Rewards Redux
We’re willing to bet that the older sibling is going to have a simple question when you ask them to help with potty training: what’s in it for me? Fortunately, there’s a way to involve them that keeps all the kids happy. Hopefully, you’ve already instituted a rewards system for the kid who is potty training. There are few things more effective to this process than knowing that they can get a tangible reward for making progress. When your older kids are involved, make sure they are getting rewards at the same time, too. It reinforces how important this is for the youngest one while letting the older ones know that you really value their help.
3. Underwear Motivation
To you, underwear is probably just another item of clothing. However, to potty training kids, underwear can be mysterious and maybe a little intimidating, especially if they insist on wearing their diapers. This is when a big sibling can be a big help with potty training! Our own older kid is all about character underwear featuring his favorite superheroes. If your older kids are the same, have them show off their cool underwear to the kid who is potty training. This basically creates an incentive for the youngest to master potty training so he can start wearing some cool underwear as well.
4. Official Team-Up
Speaking of superheroes, one thing that kids of all ages like to see is their favorite characters teaming up to take on problems. As it turns out, you can channel that into potty training as well. In short, do everything you can to make your paired siblings feel like a potty training team. For instance, you can buy them special potty training watches that go off at the same time (or slightly spaced out times) or even create custom shirts for them. It may seem silly, but making them feel like a team will double their commitment to solving potty training together!
Additional Potty Training Resources:
Brothers and Sisters, Let's Potty Train Child-Led Potty Training
