Potty Training 101

It's a topic that all mom's dread!! The potty training years!!! It is inevitable, yet many of us push it off as long as possible. My very WISE Aunt had 4 Munchkins and she said that it is hard if you wait till they are 2 and it is hard if you start at 18m. So, I decided to try it earlier and save myself some cash!! Diapers are expensive.

I have had a lot of people ask me about my potty training (PT) techniques and methods lately, so I thought I would try to put some of them down. It's true that I do potty train early. I do it because I know that most of that "potty training" is more like "Mommy training!!" It is really about us preparing for the task!! Each of my three PT experiences have been very different because each of my munchkins are different. But overall my theory has proved to be true for all three!!

My philosophey is that if you start them early, they won't have the vocabulary or the will to tell you NO! They may resist a little but overall, I have found that I am much stronger willed than they are!!! If they are 2 or pushing 3, they know how to tell you off and rebel!!! That is WHY I start early!!

First of all I start getting them to poop in the potty at about 15m. That was the case with all three of mine. Since I am home with them all day, I can read them and I know when they are about to go. The first time I just dump the poop from the diaper into the potty and tell him where the poop is supposed to go!! After that I try to catch him in the process and try to let him finish what he started in the toilet. (I use the potty seat because I don't like to clean up a mess of a potty chair!!) Then I just stay alert and keep my nose and ears peeled for smells and sounds that usually precede a bowl movement. When they are gassy I take then to the potty. They resist me at first, but we try to get them distracted with books or snacks or songs. (We spend lots of time in the bathroom, so I try to make it fun and exciting!! I always reward them with lots of hugs and kisses and praise. (I never use food or candy!) We do the "poo-poo dance" and have a "poo-poo party!!!" Eventually, they just get it!!!

At this point with they all 3 did different things that made me realize they were ready for pee-pee training. One of them said poo-poo BEFORE he had to go (he was 18m) and I realized if he can learn to go poop in the toilet he can go pee!! And he did!!

When it's time for pee-pee training, I decide to NOT turn back!!! Once I start, I can't stop!! No matter how difficult it may be!! Trust me, this last toddler has been VERY difficult!!! So when you finally decide to start, you need to plan to be home for about a week. I even stay home from church. I buy the plastic covered potty training pants at WalMart and several think training pants to start off with!! I take them pee every hour. If they don't go (which they won't at first), I take then every 15-20 min after the first hour. (especially if you are giving them lots to drink.) When they have an accident, I take them an hour from when they went. I try to get on a routine of going at scheduled intervals. If your go every hour and a half, there is no sense putting him on the potty every 20 min. I find that this just makes them frustrated and mad!! It usually takes about a week for them to "get it!!"

The bed time thing has been different for all 3!! The oldest pretty much went straight into underwear at bedtime. The second wore diapers for a few weeks, then to underwear, my third WILL NOT wake up enough to go potty in the night! He still wears pull ups at night at 2!! So that is it in a nutshell!!

Not the most exciting post, but a lot of info!! Let me know if it works for you!!!!