Monday, August 10, 2009

Potty Training Revisited

It's official! August 8th 2009, was our first non-diaper day with our 3year old!  No diapers during the day, during his nap, or while he slept at night!!! I would consider that success.  We are not perfect, he still has about 1 mistake a day especially if I am not watching the signs too closely. Plus,we have to work out the night time bathroom bugs, but other than that, Jake can feel it coming, go on his own, and feels proud and excited to keep it up.  Here's a few things I have figured out the hard way over the last three weeks:

1.  Always carry a Ziploc baggy with a complete change of clothes, paper towel, disposable wipes, a large kitchen towel and a couple single bills, just in case you end up in the most disgusting bathroom in the planet with a major poopy blowout! Ziploc for dirty stuff, paper towel to wipe anything that might not make to the toilet or trash, towel just in case you have to lay child on the floor but pray you don't have to, and you can use the bucks to buy yourself a little reward (Frappacino, Slurpee, magazine) for surviving that mini Pearl Harbor and keep YOU motivated to stick with it!!

2. All bathrooms are not created equal!  Buy stock in hand sanitizer!!!!

3. Rewards are worth it! Especially for YOU!

4. I still don't love doing laundry! Now I do more than ever!!!

5. Independence in one arena leads to Independence in many others! A lot less holding hands while walking, less help with getting dressed, grooming self, carrying toys, ..... It's awesome to see the progression and sad to start the letting go. Parenting is forever challenging!!!

Products we can't live without:
Big Boy Underwear from: Hanes (official whitey-tighties SO CUTE), Gymboree (they have whale ones!), Bumkins waterproof overnight pants (go a size smaller) which we call his "Super Unders", Tictacs, jellybeans, tootsie pops, cotton waterproof pads, at least one extra sheet set, a kid potty nearby for nighttime, gallon of white vinegar for laundry, and seventh generation bum  wipes.

Tricks of the trade:  The best advice I can give, is lead by example AND talk out loud while you're doing it!  I would actually say with a lot of excitement, making sure I got Jake's attention, and while rubbing my belly, .. "OH I feel a pee-pee coming!". Then, with kid in tow, I would run in full sprint to the bathroom where I would say "Hurry, pull down my pants. Here comes my pee-pee. YEAH! I made it! Now I need to wipe and flush the toilet. Hmmm, what comes next? Oh yeah, wash my hands, turn off the water and the light. Look Jake I put my pee-pee in the potty all by myself!!"  

We started off, WHEN HE WAS READY, sitting on the potty with a timer reading books. But, unless the river is full nothing is ever going to happen. We did this so he got comfortable and confident.  Then after a week or so, Jake started magically mimicking my potty words and taking action for himself. It was like all that imaginary talk had paid off.  Now he looks at me and says "Oh I feel a pee-pee coming!" In the same inflection that I had used. It's super cute and fantastically efficient. Now I can run to his aid if he needs it and give him props when he does it solo because we are all on the same page. Plus, I think it's a great start to a relationship with open communication.  

Kids are so unique! So remember the three P's: Be Patient, Use Praise, and if all else fails don't forget the Power of Bribery!!! 

This worked for us but I would love to hear what worked for you!!!  Any Tips?

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