Potty Training

[Faulkner99]

Any ideas? Suggestions? Tips for getting started? Tricks?

[ignoramoose]

Already?! Wow, you go Faulk! And you GOOOO pumpkin butt! Go on the potty! :gvibes:

[Faulkner99]

We figured when he started walking, we'd ease into potty training. So far we have the potty, and it sits in the bathroom near the toilet, and he likes to pick it up and wear it as a hat. At least he's not intimidated by it (yet).

[pschristina]

My soon to be 3 year old was scared of the potty. So we bought a potty and put it in his room for a little while. Just so he could get used to it, and now he's doing the real potty training, in the bathroom now of course, and not scared of the potty anymore. This really helped us out.

[ignoramoose]

So far we have the potty, and it sits in the bathroom near the toilet, and he likes to pick it up and wear it as a hat.


Pictures. MUST.HAVE.PICTURES.

[Faulkner99]

Pictures. MUST.HAVE.PICTURES.
I'm saving the Potty Hat pictures as blackmail material.
Along with the Tub pictures.
And the Covered in Marinara pictures.

[binski]

I tried the throw-Cheerios-in-the-toilet routine so they could practice their aim. :laugh: There are also some disposable toy fishies you can buy nowadays. Mine practiced for awhile but both ended up being lazy and sitting to pee instead. :rolleyes:

Pullups are a great invention and helped tremendously. But as I learned with my first, they will use the potty when they are darned good and ready, and not a minute before. :laugh:

[Faulkner99]

That's what I figure too, Binski, that he'll do it when he wants to do it. I think what I'm aiminig for now is making the potty familiar and available to him.

[jesslag]

This totally worked for me!!! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000087F54/002-9425006-6693660?v=glance&n=130
I used it with my first son and it worked in no time. He loved to watch it and sing the songs and he loved to go potty like the big kids. Pull ups also helped and I had the potty chair around for a long time. Daddy also peed in the potty chair a few times to "show" him what to do. Weird, I know but it worked. If I wasn't about to use the DVD again myself I would totally send it to you. I have an extra cd if you would like that.

[Faulkner99]

Thanks for that tip, Jess! Do you put the potty in front of the tv or something when you play the video?

[jesslag]

Yes, there are kids on there that dance with pottys and stuff and he like to copy them. LOL it was a funny and very annoying video but it totally worked, and now I have the songs in my head again lol.

[mommamia]

Your little man just turned 1 !

My guy is 3 this Thursday and we are STILL working on it. We didn't even start to potty train until 2 and a half.

The girls were easier for me to teach. They learned between 1 and 2 years old. He is too short to stand and pee and he laughs at the 'toddler potty chair' . Honestly he just laughs at it. Sitting to pee on the 'big chair' has him in an ackward acrobatic position. He is taking longer but I do not push anything. I just talk to him about the idea so it is there. I ask 'do you have to potty?" all the time it seems.


Last week he got out of the tub in order to potty in the toilet. He chose it. I praised him so many times about it he has little doubt I am happy he did that.

I also put him in underpants during the day so he can not be so 'comfortable' going in his pants . These things help him be aware of what is happening and control (hopefully). I reward him with a sticker if he does it. My dd was rewarded with candy and this is really something I would not do again. Candy after every potty....can you imagine?! lol.

so there are some pointers but I too am of the thought that they will do it when they are ready.

Good luck!

[Faulkner99]

Thanks Jess. That is funny about the annoying song. Can't be any worse that DH humming The Count's "Number of the Day" song last night while we were preparing dinner. :rolleyes: It's amazing what being a parent does to a person's brain. I'm sure I have many more years of annoying kid music ahead of me. Why can't the Foo Fighters come out with a kid's show or something? Why does it have to be the freaking Doodlebops?

Mommamia, I hope your son's potty training ends up being painless. It sounds like so far you're on the right track. I've heard that girls are much easier to potty train. But you're still lucky to have some experience in that department.

Good suggestion about taking him out of the diapers. I might try that for a few hours a day at a time and see how it goes.

He's got such a laid back happy go lucky life now, I don't want to be too disruptive. But I do think there's something to be said for getting this potty thing over with sooner than later.

[Revawter]

OMG, if you train him now I am so sending Spencer to live with you.

I am utterly pissed. :laugh:

[ouroboro]

I think you're starting to worry a little early but hey, I know someone who's potty training their infant so more power to you I guess! :laugh:

Anyway you asked for tips, here is my .02 after potty training two kids. Forget the potty seat, its pointless because if your kids are like mine you'll have to teach them all over again on the big toilet and they'll be terrified to go everytime you are out of the house. Instead get one of those small toilet seat cover things, I forget what they are called but they are by the little potty seats. They go on top of a big toilet seat but are soft and cushy and just the right size for a little kid. Invest in a stepstool for your kid to get up onto the big toilet too.

Next, buy lots of underwear, you're going to need it! Start with those 5-ply cloth ones--they're not thin like regular underwear but they aren't diapers either so the kid will feel it. Feeling is the important thing. Pull-ups are the same absorbency of disposable diapers--they are useless so forget about them too--although we did use them at night for awhile.

Pack your patience, your kid will not be potty trained in a day or a week. It takes approxiamately a year from the time they start showing remote interest to when they can recognize and get up and go on their own with little help. You will still need to help them wipe for awhile after that. Don't potty train during the day and night at the same time--wait about 3 or 4 months to start on night training. Start day training first. Be very positive about potty training--if you are negative it is more frustrating for them--remember your child is not intentionally peeing all over--they haven't developed bladder control yet and that is what you are helping them learn. Some kids aren't ready because their bladder muscles haven't completely developed yet--patience is the key here. If aren't interested don't force them to do it. Don't dole out punishments either. They are learning here, not intentionally peeing all over just because they can. If your kid can pedal a bike--doesn't have to be good, just can they do it--then they are usually old enough to potty train.

Take your 5-ply underwear and a timer--start a little at a time--what worked well for my son was about an hour a day. He'd get to run around in his new underwear for an hour and I'd set the timer for 15 minutes--every 15 minutes he had to go in and try. For every try he got something--we did stickers. Go estatic if he actually pees in the potty and give him an extra sticker but be sure he gets something for even trying too. If he wets the underwear throw on a new pair and keep going but only give stickers for going in the bathroom to try. Have him help you clean up but don't be mean or yell, just say, hey can you help me clean this up? After the hour is up, then stop and do another hour the next day. Keep doing this for awhile--if they aren't interested, skip it that day. If they seem really interested, add more time until they get tired of it. Having him try right after getting up in the morning/going to bed at night or just before a bath is a good idea too--you're in the midst of changing clothes at that time anyway. Some boys catch on right away to the standing up--we didn't want to confuse my son so we taught him sitting down first after several months and knowing that he had gotten it, we introduced standing. By then he understood the difference between poop and pee and didn't poop all over the floor. (BTW we also had the too short for the toilet problem and the step stool is what solved that!)

Be patient and be patient. Watch kid videos about going potty, read books about going potty--they help too! If you aren't squeamish let him watch you or your dh going potty. Buy clothes that are easy to get on and off--belts are cute but you will lose precious time and end up with wet clothes--buy clothes that require belts later when you know they can get it off by themselves in time to still make it to the bathroom. Bring extra clothes wherever you go--you're going to need them. We always had a backpack with a couple changes of clothes in it by the door so anytime we went out we could grab it.

HTH.

PS: Don't worry you won't be giving stickers forever--we did suckers with my dd (also something we would not do again--stickers worked just as well for my son)--it takes about a month to two months where they won't want anything but your praise for trying.

PPS: I've heard those dolls that pee are a good role model too--I never had one but my kids would pretend their stuffed animals went potty. :laugh:

[Rokki]

Any ideas? Suggestions? Tips for getting started? Tricks?
No advice on potty training, but I can give you some training on pm box full training.

DELETE some messages, your inbox is full! :yesyes:

[Faulkner99]

OMG, if you train him now I am so sending Spencer to live with you.

I am utterly pissed. :laugh:

Hey, the recent walking baby has inspired me! Besides, don't get pissed just yet. I haven't even started potty training. It could take three years!

[Faulkner99]

No advice on potty training, but I can give you some training on pm box full training.

DELETE some messages, your inbox is full! :yesyes:

SOWWY!
Problem solved.

[ouroboro]

I found a picture of what I'm talking about above to buy instead of a potty chair--get one of these potty seats that fit on the regular toilet--

[jennyblue]

I found a picture of what I'm talking about above to buy instead of a potty chair--get one of these potty seats that fit on the regular toilet--

I second this idea.
My son finished potty training at 3 (3 and 2 months) last September.
I have JUST started potty training his 2 year old sister.
I never wanted to get into cleaning out one of those little plastic pottys and both of my kids love their "Blue's Clues" seat (just like the Dora one) that goes right on the regular potty (FLUSH!).

Good luck.

I first introduced sitting on the potty just before their bath. I was stripping them anyway, and would put them on the potty to sit while I ran their bath. After a couple of weeks of that, I started putting them on the potty first thing in the morning when they would need a diaper change anyway.

My tip:
I have a paper plate taped to the wall next to the potty. If my little one has a "success", she chooses a sticker from the big "sticker ziploc bag" and is very, very proud to put it on the paper plate. They see progress like that and both have had fun with it. (I still haven't taken down my three year old's plate - he wants to keep it there.)

Also, there is a little seat cover (plastic) that folds up and fits inside of a ziploc (and then in your car or diaper bag) for those emergency Target, grocery store, library, etc. potty trips.

[mommamia]

I found a picture of what I'm talking about above to buy instead of a potty chair--get one of these potty seats that fit on the regular toilet--

oh yeah. good idea. Ours has Elmo on it.

:)
and i really like the paper plate idea jennyblue.

[Faulkner99]

I found a picture of what I'm talking about above to buy instead of a potty chair--get one of these potty seats that fit on the regular toilet--
Thanks, I will check that out and get one. Right now we just have a little one-piece potty that we got from Target.

[smokey4]

I used a sticker chart. When my daughter would successfully go to the potty we'd cheer and make a big deal and then let her pick out a sticker for herself and then add one to her chart.

My aunt had a potty with a tray on it she'd sit the kids down with some m&ms or other candies until they went. It worked for her.

[ouroboro]

Make sure you get a step-stool too, its hard to climb up there without one. We have cheap Ikea ones that work great!

I thought of something else I did too, at first potty training was a great game, hey look if I do this I get a sticker! But after awhile they got bored of it so I had to think of ways to get them to sit longer than 2 seconds--I'd read short books in there to get them to sit longer.

[ouroboro]

Also, there is a little seat cover (plastic) that folds up and fits inside of a ziploc (and then in your car or diaper bag) for those emergency Target, grocery store, library, etc. potty trips.


We had a plastic fold up one and didn't like it--it pinches or so my kids say! :laugh: Teach potty training at home first and then venture out--if they are used to the toilet at home, perching on one at the store won't be as scary-- alot of toilets still scare my kids especially if they flush loudly or automatically.

My sister in law got one of those portable camping toilets for their car--they had a van though with tinted windows and just kept it in there. Then if they were on the road she could just pull over and the kids could go and she'd clean it out (it had that blue-chem stuff in it and did actually flush) when they got home.

[lizdehart]

I've heard that the sooner you start them the longer it takes. DH acted interested right after she turned 2 and was potty trained during the day in 2 months, about 2 1/2. We had some recent accidents when we moved into our new house but not anymore. Still not trained at night because of that darned cup of chocolate milk she has to have. She doesn't ask for it every night so I'll be getting the super absorbent mattress pad and training at night very soon. Hopefully by age 3 she'll be set! We never tried the little potty she just went on our toilet.

[jesslag]

http://www.charmin.com/en_us/pages/offers_pttraining.shtml here is a link for a free Charmin Potty Training kit. We used this too. It was cute. It had a bunch of stuff including a book and a picture frame and stickers. My son liked it cause it was those cute little bears.

[amy359]

I started potty training at 14-18 months with my 3 girls. They were all potty trained at age 2.

I had a potty in the living room for easy access plus one in the bathroom. I asked thru out the day if they needed to go potty. When they were on the potty, I would turn on the faucet as this would cause them to go.

I wish you all the luck on potty training. It can be frustrating at times but remember that he'll only use it when he's ready.

:gvibes:

[LuckyBlueShoe]

I started potty training at 14-18 months with my 3 girls. They were all potty trained at age 2.



I started at 15 months with my DD. The bathroom was part of our routine from when she was a baby. She watched me go potty so she wasn't afraid of it and was actually excited when we got her own potty. We have pictures of her sitting on the potty "reading" magazines. She may have her days at grandma's house where she'll be so busy and just go pee in a pull-up but she really good at putting stinkies in the potty. It's been over a year since she's taken a crap in her pants.

I'll start 19 month old DD #2 soon because she likes to take her diaper off and is interested in using the big potty like her sister.

Now boys I hear are a different story...

[venus_de_milo]

My experience is with girls, but my situation was nothing like Ouroboro's, LOL. Mine used a little plastic toilet when they were learning but were never scared of the big toilet. And it didn't take anywhere near a year.

My readiness guide is based on hiding--it seems like once kids start hiding to poop in their diapers (like going in the corner or behind a chair) then they have the mental connections in place that "that urge" equals dirty pants. When they're still filling their diaper in the middle of play without a care in the world, you're going to have a difficult time getting them to understand that they need to stop what they're doing to use the toilet.

I started with my oldest a little before she turned 2--she didn't seem to be catching on so we gave up. Had several false starts but once it clicked (she was about 27 months) that was that. My second trained herself (WOOT!) also at 27 months. I suggested she use the toilet before her bath, and that was the end of diapers for her. With both we went from peeing/pooping in diapers to underwear with no accidents in a week or less. IMO if it has been months and they are still having accidents then they are not ready, and putting toilet training on the shelf for a little while would be the best idea (cleaning peed-in pants gets old FAST).

Personally I wouldn't even give nighttime training a second thought. That depends much more on bodily maturity than any effort on your part--just keep them in pullups until you notice that they're always dry in the morning. With my first she wasn't regularly dry until 4.5, my younger daughter was dry at night closer to 4.

As for rewards, I used a sticker chart with my older DD, didn't use anything for my younger DD.

[ouroboro]

My experience is with girls, but my situation was nothing like Ouroboro's, LOL. Mine used a little plastic toilet when they were learning but were never scared of the big toilet. And it didn't take anywhere near a year.

I think my biggest problem was we had my son in the mix! :laugh: My dd was 20 months old when my ds was born and just beginning interest, my dh was working nights and sleeping during the day at this time too so we had to be super quiet during the day. Dd was by far the hardest to potty train, not because she's a girl, she actually caught on pretty quick but because I was nursing a newborn and couldn't jump up everytime or work with her on it as much. When I finally had the time she was no longer interested and was probably to old, I'd let it go on to long. What finally convinced her was we bought those 5 ply underwear and put them on her and her brother (who was just walking) and took them every 15 minutes for about an hour. She was proud she didn't need any help like little brother did and everything was fine after that. She trained day and night at the same time. Brother on the other hand was not nearly ready at that time so he went back to diapers for awhile longer. He was alot easier because he hated diapers and pull-ups and would take them off all the time anyway--I had a hard time convincing him to wear anything! I started with him alot earlier too--doing the hour a day thing. What I mean by a year is they start out showing interest and then you build on it, by the end of year they can without help take their own clothes off, go to the bathroom and put their own clothes back on. Can they be potty trained within a year? Oh yeah, that doesn't take long at all but you're still helping them with clothes. I mean from initial interest to fully independent it takes about a year, does that make more sense?

The reason I say get the potty seat instead of the chair was because my daughter learned on the chair first and was petrified to try the toilet--I think because she was so small she couldn't balance right and was afraid of falling in--once we got a seat for her she was fine. My son learned with the seat (we got rid of the chair) and things went much smoother for him.