Don't think from the title that we have actually started potty training. Oh no that would be way too daring for the likes of a baby like me. I do however want to pick the brains of all of you mothers out there that have been through this rite of passage (Is it as much a rite of motherhood as toddlerhood?) So what worked? What didn't? I just purchased a kiddie seat for the toilet, a step stool (Abbie is a tiny thing.) stickers, underwear, and prize candy. I don't know how to start, or where to go from here, or what to do. HELP?!?!?
**Yes this is a ploy to put off the actual potty training until all of your wonderful advice comes in.
8 comments:
My advice is to definitely wait until Abbie is ready, but you can prep her by showing her the potty and let her try it out when she feels like it. Just remember that when people say their kids were potty trained after 2 weeks, that doesn't usually mean accident free. So be sure YOU are ready, because it is training for both of you. Good Luck and remember they will always get it, eventually!!
I wish I had some for you... but forward me all the advice you get... with Keanon I have a feeling I am gonna need it!
Ok, Em, this is a serious matter that needs serious attention so listen up. First of all, you have a girl, so that is a plus! Girls are easier to potty train than boys (in my experience). You have received good advise from the "Woolf Pack." You need to pay attention to Abby for any signs that she show she may be interested in using the potty. Did you let her pick the underwear? My kids always love choosing their underwear. When she appears to be ready, try a few different techniques and see what works for her. Every kid is different.Sticker charts, candy, and other prizes may work. That did not work with my kids! They were all deifferent, though. And, she will probably seem trained in a week or so, but as "the Woolf Pack" stated, there will be stages of regression. Oh, one more thing, you need to start during a period of time that you can stay at home. If there is a week when you don't really need to go anywhere, that would be a good time to start. Good luck!
In my experience, the older the kid is when you start, the better it goes. Vicki was 18 months...bad idea. Lexi was 2 1/2 and it was a breeze. Ellie was almost 2...not so great. So Abbie should do pretty well. And you know she's interested. Lexi wasn't even that interested - I was just done with diapers. Expect a bumpy week or so at first before she really gets the hang of it, but don't force anything. I used to ask a lot, but if they said "no", then I didn't push it. It has to be her thing, and not something she does for you. But pretty big girl panties are exciting, and so is getting a treat or a sticker (or both!) Also (I feel like I'm totally rambing now, so I hope this all makes sense), good call on the set for the toilet, as opposed to a little potty for the floor - you don't have to clean it out if it's already on the big potty!
Basically, you just have to take a deep breath and jump in with both feet!
I hate potty training!!!! Here is what worked for Boyd. He loved spider man, so I took his spider man toy and made it look like his toy was going pee. He thought that was pretty cool. He wanted a turn to help spider man go, so I told him that he could help spider man after he showed spider man that he knew how to use the potty. Actually, I think he was just really ready by that time, but it did help push him into action. If it is a fight all the time I would say she just isnt ready. Take a month off and try again later. Don't make it too hard on yourself or her. GOOD LUCK!!! The real secret is trying to figure out when they are ready.
I think you have some great advice here. I'll just add a couple of my own tidbits. Pressure NEVER works. And kids can sense the itsy-bitsiest of pressure. Watch the tone of your voice and your reactions when there are accidents. Don't make a big deal out of it at all. Just say, "uh, oh. Let's try to make it to the toilet next time." Or something like that. It's SO HARD!! But you can do that. Also, I thought the naked thing worked REALLY WELL with Ethan. But I'll echo what everyone has said. It has to be their thing. And don't stress. She'll get it eventually. There is no time limit on being in diapers. I personally would prefer cleaning a poopy diaper to cleaning it off the carpet! I used candy for pee and a new little toy (something they LOVE, like little horses for Sydney and little cars for Ethan) when they do #2 in the toilet.
Really the biggest thing is to be relaxed about it yourself. Then she will be, too. Good luck!!!
yeah, training Katelyn took all of over a year from first start to an assumption of no accidents. We started with just having the seat in there and then getting candy when something went in the potty. I can't even remember all the progression, but I do remember at the end that she would use going in her pants (particularly poopy) as a sign of defiance. "Fine, you will make me do something I don't want to? I will go in my pants and you can't stop me." What finally worked? She turned three and we told her she couldn't go to preschool if she couldn't go potty in the potty. Hhhmmm, she quit having accidents that week. How would I avoid being manipulated next time? Haven't figured that out yet. :)
But, once you start, can't really stop, so make sure you are ready to carry through. Hate that part.
Here is a great article from the AAP about potty training and good tips. We have followed most of them. Bridger only wears a diaper at night, NEVER in the day. I wanted to even have him wear underwear at night, hoping that this would help speed up his desire and sphincter control. Nope. It just gave him superbad butt rash from sitting in urine. SO, we have had great days, i.e. one accident a day and I think "Hooray! We are finally there!" to 4-5 accidents and it just drives me crazy. The most important thing I would say is never bribe with candy, and never punish. Make it as fun as possible because if they get in trouble for an accident or if it is torture, they won't like it. (Yes, it will be torture, but they have to do it. I have become very creative in persuading Bridger to go.) And lastly, don't start until you are ready to go through with it. Having a "trial potty training" is dumb and will only confuse them. See? I sound like I actually know what I am talking about. I actually was going to do a blog about it, so check mine soon. Until then, here is the link:
http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_ToiletTrain.htm
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