Hello All!! I started the process of potty training a couple of days ago (2 full days and a 1/2 day) and my toddler is doing pretty good so far. We have a "potty chart" and he gets a star for every time he goes along with a little treat and then if he goes so many times he gets a small toy.
There are times he will go and of course times he is having accidents, but there are times that he will say he needs to go and then has already gone. Is that progress or just part of the course? Also, I have put him in a pull up at night. Is this a good or bad thing to do? Are there any tricks that I should be trying that worked for some of you out there? I know I will get many different answers, but I am looking for any advice...as long as it's nice :0)
Thanks for all the answers and advice in advance!!
So, I started this journey with my 2 1/2 year old son a little over 5 days ago and I didn't know what it was going to bring but I must say that I am very proud of my little man!! I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing for him at the time because at first we struggled to get him to even sit on the potty without crying and throwing a tantrum. The little voices in the back of my head saying "wait until he's ready" kept ringing even though I felt in my heart that he WAS ready. See, my little one has always been fond of his "comfort zone". I understand most kids are, but mine more so than others, I think. He was the same way when we did away with his pacifier and when we transitioned from bottle to sippy cup. He wasn't happy about the idea, but picked up on the transitions very fast. Anyway, it hasn't even been a full week and he has gone two full days without an accident and he pooped in the potty for the first time tonight!! I must say, I hope that I don't have to eat humble pie anytime soon, but things are looking pretty good right now!!
I was really against pull ups in general, but then I realized that at night, it was a better option. I think it's fine to do them at night, but I'd probably continue to stay away from them during the day. My daughter was basically night potty trained within a week but it made me nervous so I had her continue with the pull ups for a month or so. Sounds like he's doing great!
www.pullups.com is a great website
under promotions there is a free potty training DVD you can send for
they also have games and other fun things under mom and me activities/tips
I have a book called "Toilet Training without tears or trauma" by Penny Warner and P. Kelly MD... picked it up on a bargain table at the market.. for $5
unfortunately I don't have any personal advice because I'm starting to potty train my daughter too
I am in your boat as well. We just started potty training 2 weeks ago and we kept him home from daycare for a week and just put him in big boy underwear or bare bottom all day for a week and it worked pretty good. Just like you (and like a few other Mom's warned me) the first 2-3 days there were accidents while he figured out the "feeling" of having to go potty before he actually went. After day 3 it got much better. If he had big boy underwear on he would still have a bit of wet before he would say he had to go. I think he thought it still acted like a "shield" but whenever he was bare bottomed he would make it over to the potty ahead of actually going. I think without the "shield" he knew it would go on the floor so he had to pay more attention to how he was feeling. Also, as they are first learning I don't think they can quite make it to the potty and pull down their pants before they have to go. By day 6 or so he was having very few accidents and could get to the potty (potty chair) and pull down his pants before he went. This past week he went to daycare all week in big boy underwear and he only had a few accidents. Stick with it and hang in there. It does get better. We are still doing overnight diapers at night. Probably will switch to pull ups at some point but not in too much of a hurry to master the night times yet. Good luck!
Depends on just how much extra time and money you are planning on having. I don't want to spend hours every day doing extra clothing and bed linens and I can't really afford all the extra detergent and utilities. The pull ups are the less expensive option for me, plus my time is worth something.
Plus, if you have carpet, how much like pee do you plan on being able to stand, how much do you not mind it smelling for company to come over and smell. He will pee on the carpet, he will pee on the kitchen floor, etc...all day mopping and doing laundry. I didn't do it.
We used tiny mini M&M's. One for pee and two for pooh, or jelly beans, or some other treat. That worked best for anything. He didn't get candy otherwise so it was a really big deal.
You said toddler, how old is he?
We are in the middle of training and being told after the fact (though often immediately after) is par for the course. At least he realizes something happened.
Is he going bare bottom during the day? I suggest this while home, well, I read it in parent's magazine, and it seems like a good idea anyway, hehehe! Good luck!
Potty training at night is very different from day training. Don't worry about night training. Keep him in a pull-up or diaper until he can wake up at night to go pee or stays dry at night. Night training is a physical readiness and can't be helped or hurried.
I say if your little one is willing to try and sit on the potty when you ask him and if he's making the connection of what it feels like to need to pee keep on doing what you're doing. Expect the accidents. Be supportive and encouraging and upbeat. If he starts having adverse reactions like being very resistant to trying to sit on the potty or getting upset about going, back off and try again in a month. Keep reading potty books and check out Elmo's Potty-time if you don't have it. He'll get there!
