So I've decided to start a little thing on this here blog. I've searched and thought and decided to call it Tip Tuesday. Now I know today is not Tuesday. I seem to be about a day behind. But here I am ready to give you tips. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep on top of it from here on out. And if not, do forgive me, I am the mother of two busy children.
Tip Tuesday!
Potty Training
I know you all want to know my secret for successful potty training. First and foremost, do not rush potty training! It will not happen until your child is ready and willing to cooperate. Sweetie heart did not potty train until she was 3 1/4 years old. She was not even interested. A little before 3 I started having her wear training pants at home. I'd ask her if she needed to pee and take her. When we went out, at nap and bedtime she wore a diaper. She started waking up from nap time dry and one time I forgot to put her in a diaper before nap and she woke up dry. So I took that diaper out, but when we went out she wore a diaper. I was pregnant with Sweet Girl at the time and she told me that when she was a big sister she would be potty trained. And that is exactly when she did. A couple of days after Sweet Girl was born she ran and errand with Webby. I told him to put her in a diaper and she said, "No, I'm potty trained now!" So that was that. Good bye diapers! Yeah! We had very few accidents, period. When she needed to go to the bathroom, she would tell me and we would go.
Also, if you start too early you will have more accidents. I don't know about you but I really don't like cleaning pee off the floor and, worse yet, getting a child out of poopy underpants without getting it everywhere is a real challenge. But it does keep things interesting.
I have been trying the same thing for Sweet Girl but it's not working out the same way. It seems Sweet Girl is really not interested. She wants to wear underpants, but usually I'm given the announcement, "I just peed/ pooped in my underpants!" And that is usually right after I've set her on the potty to go. She will actually hold it or not let all of it out when she's there, and pee/ poop in her underpants after 5 minutes. So I put her back in diapers. I was extremely patient. I even asked her if she wanted underpants again after she peed in some up until the point she did it twice within 2 minutes and I had sat her on the toilet between the two accidents. At that I was done. She obviously is not ready. So I'll try again in a month.
When you start potty training there is always the very fun thing call Let's visit every bathroom there is in existence. There have been some nice ones and some not so nice ones, but in the interest of wanting your child to be potty trained it is worth it, even if they have just peed at home. And traveling takes on a whole new time table. When kids are potty trained you can't just drive for 4-6 hours. You are going to have to stop more often, like every 15 minutes...I kid, but it seems like it sometimes. You must remember that the smaller the child the smaller the bladder and thereby they are going to have to pee more often. That also means that you will probably be up at night taking you child to the bathroom. Take my advice, when you go in to check on them before you go to bed, pick them up and take them to the bathroom. they probably will only be semiconscious and go right back to sleep. But that saves you the near heart stopping wake up when you child comes into your room to tell you they have to pee. I think Sweetie Heart was 5+ before she started to pee on her own in the night and put herself back to bed. And seeing as she's only 6 now, it hasn't been that long.
Know your limits and those of your child's. If you don't feel either of you are ready, don't do it. If you feel like it's not working, let it go and came back to it. If you feel yourself getting angry about the accidents, throw in the underpants and try again later. Every kid is different, as I am learning. Take it as it comes.
I'd love to hear your tips to, so please chime in to what has worked for you. and if you would like to hear my tip for something feel free to let me know. Enjoy!
4 comments:
ds has been interested in the potty the last few weeks. after our trip this weekend I will be attempting the potty training in a day method.
he has just turned 2 and has shown an interest and is comfortable sitting on the potty.
I believe you have to start when the interest is there. If you move past the initial interest and fun of it they get way too comfortable going in the diapers.
I am definitely eager to get him potty trained. Life defintely goes back to being a bit more hectic making those rushes to the toilet but in the end it is all worth it.
Now for night time diapers will still be used for a while b/c he is still in a crib right now.
I've always been interested in the train in a day method. But alas, maybe I'm a bit to lazy to do it :) Then again when Sweet Girl turns 3 maybe I'll attempt it. Have to look something up about it. I've forgotten so much since the last time I looked into it. Sweetie Heart goes back to school on the 27th so there will be less distraction. But you're right. You have to get right on it when they are interested!
Here is a book on it:
http://www.amazon.com/Toilet-Training-Less-Than-Day/dp/0671693808
it does take focused effort and you pretty much spend the whole day the bathroom HAHAHAHA
but worth it if you stick to it. All of us girls were PT in 1 day.
I tend to take the long-term view. I try to match their interest with my effort, but not push too hard. Some kids learn in a few waves of training, while some get it the first time. The hardest thing for me is not getting angry when there's accident after accident. They all get it by the time they go to kindergarten, though.
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