This past memorial day weekend we decided that it was time to potty train Max. He is about 2 years and 3.5 months old. I wanted to document this for the next one and for my sister/friends to look at.
How did I know he was ready? Well, around his 2 year birthday I bought him a little small potty and this seat insert you see in the pic. I read the 3 day potty training technique and took most of the concepts from there, but it was impossible for us to stay home nonstop for 3 full days with only a few weeks left before baby girl arrives. Back around when he was a little over 2 we read our Potty book to Max that we've had for a long time and shortly after we'd just start asking if he wanted to sit on his potty to go. Low and behold within a few days he'd start going #1 and even a #2 here and there. We'd ask him only when we were changing his diaper. We were giving 2 m & m's as rewards and that seemed to really entice him. He is in the church preschool 2 days a week and I didn't want them to have to deal with him asking to go or worrying about him wetting his undies so we held off till school was out. I was a little nervous starting it back up because he just didn't seem interested anymore. I'd ask if he wanted to try to go and tried to make him sit there every 15-30 mins, but he refused to go in and would lock the bathroom door and close it (with him on the opposite side). I do want to mention that we only used the toilet insert. The small floor potty we thought he might get confused and upset when we didn't have one when we went different places. I was very surprised when he all the sudden said to me "potty" that morning and we ran in and he went. He pretty much just let me know when he had to go. I did of course ask every 30 mins and when I saw him sitting/squatting I made sure he wasn't trying to go.
Day 1- we were home most of the day, but Max and I got bored and went outside to water plants. Well the neighbor kids came over and started playing water guns and distracting Max and he went potty in his undies onto the sidewalk. He realized what he was doing and then wanted to come in to potty and change (so we put swimsuit on). No other accidents that day. We did decide to go cold turkey on the diapers during nap. I debated putting it on and I almost did, but I told him that he shouldn't go to the potty during nap because his bed and him would be really wet. I made sure to get him up as soon as I heard him peep (normally I let him lay there to see if he will go back to sleep) and he was dry!
Day 2- everything was going well and he would potty and poopy nicely when he told us he had to go. We did venture out to my cousins house for dinner where he used their potty a few times, but did have an accident once. He doesn't go a lot in one sitting so it's just a matter of changing clothes so no biggie.
Day 3- I think we were accident free. We did go to the pool and he had a disposable swim diaper on so there is really no telling if he went or not in that.
Night time- I really didn't want to change sheets in the middle of the night so I held off and kept his regular diaper on at night (and still am). Surprisingly after night 4 he woke up the next day completely dry and asked to use the potty when he got up. He was actually surprised to be wearing the diaper. The past few mornings he was dry again when I got him up. Last night while reading books he asked to go potty (his diaper was already on) so we just took it off and he went. So definitely good progress.
Outings-He has used the restroom at swim lessons to go poopy twice with Gigi, at the doctors office, at Lowes, Walmart (grossy), and a mexican restaurant. Is he 100% potty trained... yes and no I guess. I still think he could have an accident, but I'd probably say he's 90% there. I am very pleased with all our efforts (yay Gigi and David!).
Other Thoughts- Max is very verbal with us and talks a lot. I didn't have any doubt that he wouldn't be able to let us know that he had to go. We used m & m and skittles for rewards. When he went poopy the first few times we had a few bigger prizes like water toys for the pool (thanks Gigi). I did try to load him up with salty foods and lots to drink to encourage him to go. We bought the big boy underwear a few months back, but haven't really used them so we got them out and let him pick what he wanted. We also let him run around with just a shirt and undies all day (yep, even out in the neighborhood).
I took this video the first morning of our potty training adventure. Just love his little voice.
1 comment:
He's just adorable!! Way to go big boy
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