PT Help, please!

ash-81

My child will be starting a preschool program in Jan. and I need him potty trained ASAP.  Anyone have any luck with the 3-day potty training method?  If so, care to share with me?

rebbieW

We didn't follow a formal method, but I think what we did is probably pretty similar.

For DS1 (just shy of 3) and DD (2.5), we chose a weekend when we could completely stay at home. We had 12 pairs of undies, lots of paper towels and plastic bags and two potties (one in the bathroom, the other always with us). We basically said that they were graduating from diapers to underwear because they were "big kids" and that they should sit on the potty for pee and poo. (They had no clue as neither of them had ever produced on the potty despite numerous opportunities).

With both of them, the first day and a half seemed like a complete disaster. Nothing ended up in the potty, accidents randomly and EVERYWHERE, etc. But by the end of day 2 for DS1 and the beginning of day 3 for DD, it clicked. Pee was pretty consistent from then on, but poo took up to 2 weeks longer. They were almost immediately able to tell us when they needed to go and were not reliant on us to ask them.

Hope the nutshell version was helpful! Oh, and we used pull-ups only for naps (first few weeks) and nights (first couple months).

ash-81

rebbie:

Thanks for responding.  I wasn't sure I'd get a response here.  Maybe a dumb question, but plastic bags?  What were they used for?

Also, how often did you make them sit at first?  I've been told every 30 minutes.  Did you reward with candy/treats?

I'm just so frustrated!  My ds is almost 3 and I'm not really sure how to tackle it.  He currently goes to an in-home dc who is pretty elderly.  She doesn't really have the time to devote to helping me train.

I'm just going to have to stay home ALL weekend here pretty soon and try your way I guess.

DandR

I had my own similar to the 3 day method.

Basically, its OK to be disappointed in accidents.....I think people take the "don't get mad" to the extreme and think you can't even act bummed about an accident...but sheesh o'pete, I'm not happy about cleaning up the mess!  LOL  So I basically took the same tone as when you are teaching your 1 year old to hold a spoon and feed themself, and they throw the spoon on the floor. "oh, well, that's too bad that you had an accident!  I have to clean this up and I'm bummed.  I hope you can do better now!" 

Do not go back to diapers (except for nap time and bedtime....we are still using pull ups for my youngest for bedtime).  NO MATTER what, don't go back, even if there are a few rough days....by giving in, you are prolonging the potty training.

Set a timer and go "try" every 15 minutes.  I did rewards.  One for trying, Two for pee, Three for poo. most of my kids liked M&M's, but I think my oldest preferred stickers.  So figure out what will work.

After they start figuring out about going, then you don't need the timer for every 15 minutes.  But you can kinda get into a routine.  First thing when you wake up, RIGHT after breakfast, sometimes mid morning, Right after lunch, Right after waking up, etc, etc.  And keep asking every single time during those times for the first few weeks.  It took my kids a few months before they would just go on their own without me asking them.

Good luck!

ash-81

Thanks for responding, dandr.  My ds likes m&ms so that might work.  He's actually gone in the potty, several times for pee and one time for poo, so he knows what to do.  I just don't think he's making the connection with feeling the urge to pee/poo and knowing that it means he needs to go now.