Potty Training: the "work-outside-the home edition"

[aliceinwonderland]

I mean, how is it done, basically? Morning, nights and weekends?
DS has pooped in the potty 2 out of the past 3 days, but I think only because I keep him naked from the waist down basically all the time when not outside or sleeping.

He goes back to preschool Tuesday so no more naked time...Do you have any tips? I am in no rush, because with all this travel I realise diapers are far more convenient for me, but all that crap (pun intended) about following his cues...;)

[JBaxter]

Will the preschool work with you? Nathan started the pre-primary Montessori program and while he is potty trained some of the other children are not. The teacher made the announcement that anyone wishing to start ( or continue) potty training they should let her know. Her recommendation was to use plain underwear ( not pull ups) and pants but bring her several extra changes. She would make sure they were taken to the bathroom several times during the mornings. I "think" she did some EC w/ her own children because she mentioned her 18month old was almost trained. Good luck on the potty adventure.

[hez]

It was a tag team effort with Payton's sitter. She and we used the same reward system (star stickers, 5 stars = a big fun sticker). We both used the 'ask every 1/2 hour or hour' method. We both had him sit directly on the potty (no special seat, no insert), and by being consistent between the two homes, we succeeded. It took awhile for #2's, but we also didn't work very hard at it, either.

Hopefully the preschool can help you out with this. Some of our friends' day care centers have done nearly all the work for them, or so they say ;)

[JElaineB]

If you find a good method, let me know! DS's daycare believes in naturalistic potty training, so unless he asks, they won't. His grandma has him trained 1 day a week at her house, but she always asks him if he needs to go, he doesn't often tell her on his own. We are pretty lazy about it on the weekends. Thus DS is still in diapers. We've been working on him to start going on the potty all the time when he's 4 (next month), so we'll see if that works.

Jennifer
mom to Jacob - almost 4

[sadie427]

The preschool should work with you. Sounds like he might be ready for underwear all the time. One Friday night (he was a little over 2 1/2) we were at a restaurant and DS said "my tummy hurts;" I asked him if he needed to use the potty and he said yes; took him to the restaurant bathroom, propped him on the toilet and he pooped. Half hour later the same thing happened again. I decided to go with it; came home that night and said tomorrow was a big day, no more diapers (except at night) starting tomorrow, and had him help me find a place in the basement to keep the diapers. Starting the next day he wore underwear all day, even though it meant a few accidents at the zoo. I think he got the idea that it really took away from playtime if he got wet and had to go change. Also got to pick out a small reward at the end of the weekend (a toddler baseball and bat). By monday he was better, and I told the daycare he was in underwear now. They were pretty good about it. Still in diapers at night, but underwear all day including for naps.

[kath68]

It is really tough! Especially when, like we do, you have to get so much done Morning, nights and weekdays. The "dedicate a weekend and do nothing else other than potty training" approach just doesn't work. I have been trying to find a weekend to dedicate to potty training for 3 months now.

But the nekkid time thing is really a good thing. A reward system is good (stickers for peeing in the potty, that kind of thing).

I think if you make a commitment to yourself that you are doing it -- no more dipes at all (except at night) -- that message will be clear and kiddo will go along. The consistency is apparently key.

We were doing really well, but we backtracked at home and at daycare, what with all the craziness around here these days. I am going to try it again full bore soon. Three day weekends are a great opportunity, but this one won't work for us.

But whatever you do, make sure that the preschool is on board with you.

Good luck!

[ltmommy]

That's funny, because I am actually being a little pressured by DD's preschool to move forward with the potty training. Apparently she has been going at school with all the other kids, so they asked me to send pull-ups. DD is 25 months, one of the youngest in her class, and I just figured we'd let her lead and maybe get more serious come December or so.

But I went and bought the pull-ups and have really tried this weekend, without much luck. I have this little voice in the back of my head saying, "Wait till she wants it, it will be much easier then." She "gets" peeing in the potty, but most of the time when I ask her if she wants to go, even with the incentive of stickers, she says no. Very frustrating. She still hasn't pooped in the potty, but she is getting better about wanting to be changed right after she poops in the pull-up (I take this as a step since she previously preferred to sit in the dirty diaper).

I know there is the underwear or naked options, but I feel like maybe *I'm* not ready for that yet either!

Good luck!

Leslie
DD 7.04

[smkinc]

Talk to your pre-school. Our DC provider was great about helping PT. I agree with PP, we went cold turkey on diapers once DS started using the potty--even at night, but he had been dry at nights for 2-3 months prior. Our sitter was very encouraging (ETA that ~5 of the accidents were at her house). We used stickers and also encouraged him that he could do it! He is very into being like Dad and that helped also.

He had ~7 accidents total during the day and ~3 at night. Sometimes we think that once they 'get it' they'll be accident free. In our experience I think he had to have some accidents to 'get it'. We had ~3 days of accidents and then it clicked and his only accidents have been when he was overtired and really slept hard at night.

He was almost 3 when we PT'd, right before the holidays, so I was worried he'd regress because of all the excitement, but he would just go take care of business. My mom said it was great training my brother on a long trip because he liked to go look at all the different bathrooms, so if you think your son is ready and you have a supportive preschool, then I'd say go for it!

The only potty book we had was this one:
http://www.amazon.com/First-Experiences-Its-Potty-Time/dp/0312492421/sr=8-8/qid=1157312494/ref=pd_bbs_8/102-2230584-4686538?ie=UTF8&s=books

It doesn't have great reviews on Amazon, but I think for an older boy it was phenomenal, it really explained the process of using the potty.

HTH,
Mary

[cilantromapuche]

I am suprised that they wait until he asks. I know with DS (who has been potty trained) he insists he doesn't have to go even when he does. I insisted he "try" and he would go. Now, in the third week he is good about saying when he has to go.

[stefani]

I don't remember how old your DS is, and for us it was a matter of DS being ready, and us (DH and I) being ready.

Here is our version:

DS started peeing in the potty before bath when he was 2 years old. When he was 33 months old (Memorial Day week-end) we went all-out with potty trainning. His Grammy (grandma) started him on Friday, and DH and I did it Sat- Mon. We had naked time most of Sat, but he wanted underwear, so I put on cloth training pants on him. I think we had a about 3 accidents that week-end. Then on Tuesday, I sent him to daycare with cloth training pants.

He did not want to poop in the toilet at first, although he had pooped a couple of times before. DH and I decided that we'll let him poop in pull-ups first, so he would ask for diapers when he wants to poop. We would encourage him to poop in the toilet, but we did not insist on it. After a week, he pooped in the toilet, and no going back.

I figured that it might be a long while before he was ready for night time, but he was ready pretty soon. I was just finishing up his stash of pull-ups and diapers, and then he was in underwear at nights. He still sleep in the crib (with the bars), but I have not changed bedsheets because of accidents.

Admittedly, I was hesitant about the whole thing, since I was not interested in adding more work into our full life. It was easier than DH and I thought though.

DS also was the type who would not go because we suggested that. He seems to be more compliant with Grammy, but with me and DH when he (DS) says no, that means no, otherwise he will throw a tantrum and still will not go. So I just ask, but not force the issue. He would tell me himself when he needs to go.

Good luck!