Potty Training

ksimo6 · July 2015

Ok so this is not nb related, but I'm looking to tap into the wisdom of the ladies on this board. For those of you who have potty trained a child, please tell me how you got started and your approach. Successes? Failures?

My 21 month old is showing signs of being ready but I have no idea where to begin. I downloaded a book last night that I plan to read over the weekend but thought I would just cheat and ask you all.

Tia!

seesea · July 2015

I'm sorry I don't have much to contribute to this topic but I'd love to know some tips as well. I'm sick of having to change so many diapers!

Which book did you get?

lovethatcolosun · July 2015

I need to get this milestone accomplished too. DS is showing plenty of signs he's ready, but his motivation to do it on the potty is seriously lacking. I got the potty training in three days e-book. I need to get going on this so he can start preschool a couple of days a week in the fall. Maybe we should be each other's support group.

ksimo6 · July 2015

I will take all the support I can get! Sounds good.

Sammy K · July 2015

We've started, but we're not pushing it. We bought a little potty and we talk about it a lot. We let him watch us (weird, I know). I think we're going to start a rewards system, we were hoping to wait until LO is sleeping better to really work on it since DH and I are low on sleep and low on patience.

laurendutch · July 2015

My friends (most are twin Moms) swear by the 3 day approach. I waited until my boys were clearly ready. They were 2 years 8 months. We would sit on the toilet and talk about the bike they would get once they were big boys. I would suggest for your sanity to wait until they are clearly ready. My son did have a few #2 accidents. One time I threw away his toy story underwear bc they were soiled and he never pooped in his underwear again.

kcl283 · July 2015

We trained my daughter on February, during my school vacation. I was being selfish on my part and wanted a few months without diapers before the little one arrived! She was 2 years 9 months. We bought a little potty and kept it in the family room and I let her run around naked for the first 2 days encouraging her to sit and try on a regular basis. No accidents the first day and very few since. She's even been in undies at night since day 1. My one piece of advice is they have to be ready and cannot be forced. As my grandmother said, they won't be going to kindergarten in their diapers!! Good luck!

dancegurl1118 · July 2015

So many people swear by the 3 day approach. You just have to commit for a whole weekend and don't waiver. And plan on lots of cleaning up and a nakey toddler running around

but definitely make sure they show clear signs, because you don't want to show them mixed signals about being done with diapers but then going back to them! Good luck. It's totally doable, I was potty trained at 18 months and I'm still going in the potty to this day.

henrytviii · July 2015

dancegurl1118 said:
It's totally doable, I was potty trained at 18 months and I'm still going in the potty to this day.

Love it.

So my friend once gave me the best parenting advice. Its not PC but she said, "I don't worry about my kids doing things that homeless people can do." If only she given me this advice BEFORE is spent almost a year trying to potty train my kid. He also showed signs of readiness at 21 months and we started practicing. He had 2 great weeks and then we struggled forever doing terrible with it. At 2 years 10 months he potty trained himself instantly. He just said he was going to wear underwear to preschool and I was too pregnant to argue. That was that.

Definitely try if they seem ready but don't be afraid to quit. I think its easier to change diapers than to fight your kid on this or clean up pee and poop all over your house for months. 2 is young.

devyns2nd · July 2015

I didn't know the three day approach was a thing and I kinda feel like I invented this

. I did strip DD down and after a few accidents and a few cheers at the potty she figured things out. I did find poo piles here and there for a while lol she thought pooping in the potty was gross???

ksimo6 · July 2015

"Poo piles" - awesome!

rklinge0 · July 2015

kcl283 said:
As my grandmother said, they won't be going to kindergarten in their diapers!! Good luck!

I hate to say this but I knew a kindergartner who wasn't trained. Although part of it was because his mom thought that was the teachers job. She also didnt want to take the time to do it. She worked on it more at home when we kept calling her to change him.

laurendutch · July 2015

rklinge0 said:

kcl283 said:
As my grandmother said, they won't be going to kindergarten in their diapers!! Good luck!
I hate to say this but I knew a kindergartner who wasn't trained. Although part of it was because his mom thought that was the teachers job. She also didnt want to take the time to do it. She worked on it more at home when we kept calling her to change him.

The teacher job!!! Like teachers get paid enough!!! Haha

I know a few 4 year olds that have struggled but luckily they won't be going to kindergarten until almost 6 (bc of the way birthdays fall in my district)

seesea · July 2015

All these suggestions sound great! Now I'm nervous about poo piles all over the carpet. Would it be a terrible idea to use dog training pads around my apartment? Just kidding...sorta

So what signs did some of you experienced mamas notice to let you know it was time to potty train?

Sammy K · July 2015

I've talked to a few moms that never really forced it, but showed what it was and talked about it. The kids could go whenever they wanted, but it was all up to them. And one day on their own, the kids decided they didn't want diapers. No accidents for any of them. But they were closer to 3 than 2. I would rather change a diaper than clean up poo piles, so that is the approach we're taking.

laurendutch · July 2015

We had an open door policy and would talk about using the bathroom. We also had a kid potty out for months and would ask if they wanted to use it. If they tell you they want their diaper change that's usually a great sign. Also, make sure they are wearing pants that are easy to pull up and down

lovethatcolosun · July 2015

So far we have the potty and seat attachment in the bathroom, sticker chart ready, potty prizes, and candy bribes. Nothing seems to get him motivated to actually do it. I encourage him to sit on his potty when I go, but he refuses to do it before he has gone. Many times he tells me he wants to use the potty after he has gone, so I know we are close. He likes to pee outside with his dad, but I want to be careful with this bc I don't need him peeing or pooping outside at recess. The naked toddler method scares me a little because our house has a lot of carpet...I may just have to suck it up and just buy s lot of carpet cleaner just in case. I may just put him in underware during the 3 day method and see if that is enough motivation.

henrytviii · July 2015

Sammy K said:
I've talked to a few moms that never really forced it, but showed what it was and talked about it. The kids could go whenever they wanted, but it was all up to them. And one day on their own, the kids decided they didn't want diapers. No accidents for any of them. But they were closer to 3 than 2. I would rather change a diaper than clean up poo piles, so that is the approach we're taking.

This is basically what we did have a month of trying to force it. We did it this casual way for about 8 months.

Careful with bribes or prizes. DH bribed with m&m's for one day and DS still asks for an m&m every time he poops . . . And offers me one when I use the potty. Weird because we don't ever actually give him any. Though I am typing this and realizing DH probably does and lies to me about it! Ahh potty training is the worst part of parenthood.

hswan26 · July 2015

DD showed tons of signs of being ready at 2 years old. We got started and she did great until she got a UTI(the I wanna do it myself attitude). After that we took a break for a while because she got scared it was going to hurt. She went into an older class in daycare the following septemver(2.5 years old) where they concentrated on potty training. Between that and reinforcement at home she was potty trained by Christmas. That doesn't mean she doesn't have the occasional accident (we had one last week because she gets busy doing soemthing and forgets to go) but honestly daycare did the majority of the work.

devyns2nd · July 2015

I'd like to add that since DD refused to poo in a potty I bought the seat for the toilet and it worked like a charm (no more Abby piles in the hall). She liked the idea of using the big potty. So our expensive singing flushing potty chair turned into a stool. :-L

ksimo6 · July 2015

Good input all. I appreciate the response!

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