Potty learning

[springmama]

When you are first teaching your dc to use the potty, do you go cold turkey and use undies all the time (except for nap and bedtime) or do you put diapers on when you are out?

 

I am leaning toward only using diapers for nap and bed and just dealing with accidents as they happen whenever and wherever we are, but I'm curious about what others do and why.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Kathy,

 

You might search cheetos and potty to get my "method." Basically, it's very much the Potty Train in Less than a Day (book title close to that).

 

It's basically a four hour party with you and child. Drink tons and potty OFTEN. The biggest thing a kiddo needs to learn is that "that feeling" and "pee pee" go together. Second is that "pee pee" goes in the potty. People often try to do the second one first and then wonder why potty training takes months. By the time kiddo has the feeling again, he's forgotten it! By causing the feeling and the pee pee to happen every 15-45 minutes (and seriously, I have never had a kid last 45 minutes during this part of training), they can draw a connection to use to succeed.

 

My ds was 25months and was the first kid I did this with. Since then, I've been able to train about a hundred or so kids with a similar method (depending on the location...at my home, it's pretty easy to follow it; at daycare centers, I had to adjust it a little though it often takes a tad longer too).

 

Honestly, this method is FUN and has the CHILD be the one trained. My ds was 99% by the end of day one.

 

BTW, yes, I used diapers for nap and bed for all of these children.

 

Of course, you've potty trained 3 others so I'm sure your method works well enough! Sometimes it's best not to fix things that aren't broken :) For me, I like the ease and quickness and low stress of this. I also like that it will work with most children by 2.5 years old. I see no reason to drag potty training out or wait til they are 3 or 4.

Edited October 21, 2010 by 2J5M9K

[springmama]

LOL!!!!!

 

My girls trained themselves and my 3rd child...well, that didn't work out so well and he finally learned right around his third birthday.....or maybe after. I've blocked it all out, it was so traumatic.

 

Ben sat on the potty for 3.5 hours yesterday with NOTHING. Then finally he went but it was almost nap time so we put a diaper on him. He got out of bed with a slightly wet diaper.

 

I put him on the potty again but had things to do. Afterall I had spent our entire mornig sitting on the floor playing potty themed youtube videos, doing sticker books, reading to him, etc.

 

So, I let him get up and he was playing in the kitchen when he realized he had to go, a drop or two came out on the way to the potty but when he sat down he couldn't perform.

 

I made him sit awhile, then had to make dinner so we decided to try again in a little while later. He had an accident on the kitchen floor.

 

After that I went on a date with my husband so I put him in diapers to make it easier for my dd to babysit.

 

Anyway, I'm convinced that his bottom is programmed to pee in diapers and not on the potty, which is why he realized he had to go, ran to the potty and then couldn't do it even though he wanted to. The same way I could never switch from the toilet to diapers. My body would just not let it out unless I really had to go...

 

I need to get him used to not wearing diapers, I think, before he'll realize he doesn't' need them to go.....does that make sense?

 

So, we have music class this morning and it's a very kid friendly place- sort of like a daycare where moms come to play with kids. He'll be hanging in the play area while the older ones are in class. They have potties. I just don't know if its too early to just jump in and take him out in undies since he's only peed on the potty one time in his life.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Yeah, my first potty trained herself also. She tried even earlier but I "got onto her." I was sure it wasn't possible for a child SO young so I didn't "let" her. Finally, it came down to fightin against it or just putting p@nties on her. She was completely day and night trained immediately.

 

Of course he's programmed to pee in diapers. You have trained him from the moment he was born to do so! Now you are changing the rules! Silly Mama :)

 

It'll work out. I wouldn't stress. If you stress or it just won't happen in a few days, wait a little longer. Sometimes a month or two maturing is all it takes to be ready :) Though i'm against this silliness of so many kids being 3 and 4 before learning, I would prefer that over damaging the relationship to ANY degree. 3 or 4 and everyone happy is better than 1 or 2 and any upset. At 8, 17, 32, it just won't matter when it happened!

[Sherry in OH]

I used the cold turkey method with my oldest. He was three and had absolutely no interest in the potty. 1st day, he did not make it to the potty a single time. He cried for a diaper. 2nd day, he made it almost every time. 3rd day, he was urine trained. It took about a week to completely train him. He would even get up at night to use the potty.

 

Something I didn't do, but works for some children is to put a diaper in the potty. At first put it up high so the child can feel it. Then put it lower in the potty, so it is there but not touching the child. Then switch to toilet tissue and finally just the potty.

 

ETA: I trained my son over a weekend. We did not go anywhere for three days. After that, I carried spare clothes, underpants, and plastic bags in the diaper bag. The few accidents he had were due to an inability to get to toilet soon enough - other end of store, long lines, etc.

Edited October 21, 2010 by Sherry in OH

[Parrothead]

I waited until dd was try through the night for about a week. She was 2.5ish. Once she was dry through the night she went straight to the super thick underwear. No pull-ups or diapers at night or nap. She had those on all weekend and did have a few accidents. But by Sunday night she did have it mostly figured out. She kept the super thick underwear for that first week then the next Saturday I took her to JC Penney and she picked out about 20 pairs of panties. She never looked back.

[Amy in NH]

I've potty trained three kids under age two, within two weeks, by using this method:

 

pull up at bedtime/naptime

no pants the rest of the day

cloth training pants with rubber pants on top for errands

 

My first son was a different story because my ex wasn't okay with no pants and it took me a while to figure out how to train him.

[nd293]

We start early with no nappy /diaper or pants around the house or garden to get an awareness of body function. I'm not "squeamish" about potty training, but I am rather resistant to mopping up when we're out and about. When I'm stressed and embarassed I am definitely not sending out the right potty training message, so at first potty training is focused on the times when we're at home and relaxed.

 

I have to say, that with ds, I found undies a serious hinerance to potty training. We had a much higher success rate when he was just wearing shorts or trousers, without undies. This was the case for many months. Undies definitely seemed to hamper his ability to sense his own need to go. I didn't notice this with dd, though.

 

Nikki

[ondreeuh]

My toddler is potty learning currently. He got the first 60% immediately and we're kinda stuck at him being not-quite-trained. As I am typed this, he yelled "Gotta go pee!" took his trainers off and danced over to the bathroom. Sometimes it still catches him by surprise and he pees right through his pants, and he poops most of the time in his pants (SIGH).

 

He's in a diaper for naps and bedtime (wakes up dry about half the time) but he absolutely refuses to wear a diaper or pull-up during the day, so he wears trainers on errands. He wears thick Hanna Andersson trainers, and most of the time they keep pee from hitting the floor, so it's not awful. He stays dry through some half-day errands, and doesn't make it through some short ones.

 

I'd like to do no pants, but he is way too fascinated by his own anatomy and it disturbs us all when he pretends to pee on everything like he's holding a fire hose.

[fairfarmhand]

 

I am leaning toward only using diapers for nap and bed and just dealing with accidents as they happen whenever and wherever we are, but I'm curious about what others do and why.

 

 

This is what I do.

 

For the record. I HATE POTTY TRAINING!

 

In the midst of it right now....ugh.

 

ETA: As to the why, none of my kids ever got it that a pull-up was not a diaper and until they had a naked or semi-naked bottom (as in with undies/training pants) it never registered that they needed to go, or that they were already going.

[fairfarmhand]

LOL!!!!!

 

My girls trained themselves and my 3rd child...well, that didn't work out so well and he finally learned right around his third birthday.....or maybe after. I've blocked it all out, it was so traumatic.

 

Ben sat on the potty for 3.5 hours yesterday with NOTHING. Then finally he went but it was almost nap time so we put a diaper on him. He got out of bed with a slightly wet diaper.

 

I put him on the potty again but had things to do. Afterall I had spent our entire mornig sitting on the floor playing potty themed youtube videos, doing sticker books, reading to him, etc.

 

So, I let him get up and he was playing in the kitchen when he realized he had to go, a drop or two came out on the way to the potty but when he sat down he couldn't perform.

 

I made him sit awhile, then had to make dinner so we decided to try again in a little while later. He had an accident on the kitchen floor.

 

After that I went on a date with my husband so I put him in diapers to make it easier for my dd to babysit.

 

Anyway, I'm convinced that his bottom is programmed to pee in diapers and not on the potty, which is why he realized he had to go, ran to the potty and then couldn't do it even though he wanted to. The same way I could never switch from the toilet to diapers. My body would just not let it out unless I really had to go...

 

I need to get him used to not wearing diapers, I think, before he'll realize he doesn't' need them to go.....does that make sense?

 

So, we have music class this morning and it's a very kid friendly place- sort of like a daycare where moms come to play with kids. He'll be hanging in the play area while the older ones are in class. They have potties. I just don't know if its too early to just jump in and take him out in undies since he's only peed on the potty one time in his life.

 

 

I don't spend large amounts of time on the pot with my son. I just take him every hour or so, and I give lots of fluid so there is a lot of practice.

 

He's done better since I let him stand on a stool to pee.

 

Still no poop on the pot, though I offered him a dollar if he would.

[springmama]

I don't spend large amounts of time on the pot with my son. I just take him every hour or so, and I give lots of fluid so there is a lot of practice.

 

He's done better since I let him stand on a stool to pee.

 

Still no poop on the pot, though I offered him a dollar if he would.

 

Normally I wouldn't but he had never ever ever caught a pee in the potty before and I wanted to be sure he got at least one in the pot so that he knew he could do it. My other kids kind of played with the potty and got lucky with it a few times but this one...he can sit for hours and nothing will come out til he stands up...then he cries.

 

But, it was so fun and if he'd have resisted I would have let him off in a heartbeat. It's fun to sit in the living room, bottom on the potty, pizza on the coffee table and watching PBS kids, lol!

[fairfarmhand]

Normally I wouldn't but he had never ever ever caught a pee in the potty before and I wanted to be sure he got at least one in the pot so that he knew he could do it. My other kids kind of played with the potty and got lucky with it a few times but this one...he can sit for hours and nothing will come out til he stands up...then he cries.

 

But, it was so fun and if he'd have resisted I would have let him off in a heartbeat. It's fun to sit in the living room, bottom on the potty, pizza on the coffee table and watching PBS kids, lol!

 

 

I've never tried this but I have heard of others doing this with their boys. They get a large metal coffee can with all sharp edges removed and let their little guys aim for the can. Seems the guys like the sound it makes.

 

Does he have daddy or big brothers to show him the way things go in the bathroom for fellows?

[springmama]

I've never tried this but I have heard of others doing this with their boys. They get a large metal coffee can with all sharp edges removed and let their little guys aim for the can. Seems the guys like the sound it makes.

 

Does he have daddy or big brothers to show him the way things go in the bathroom for fellows?

 

He does, and they do but I want him to sit! I am so sick of cleaning up pee in my bathroom, or having the bathroom stink because my 5 year old didn't aim well. It drives me batty! If I could make it a house rule to pee sitting down I would. In fact, I know lots of men do it. My husband wont buy it.

 

I should join Mothers Against Peeing Standing Up!

[fairfarmhand]

He does, and they do but I want him to sit! I am so sick of cleaning up pee in my bathroom, or having the bathroom stink because my 5 year old didn't aim well. It drives me batty! If I could make it a house rule to pee sitting down I would. In fact, I know lots of men do it. My husband wont buy it.

 

I should join Mothers Against Peeing Standing Up!

FUNNY!!!

 

Actually, I am training him to clean up after himself. I grew up with 2 brothers and GUESS WHO GOT TO CLEAN THE BATHROOM EACH WEEK!!!!

 

GAH!

 

I make sure he wipes around the rim EVERY time he potties and he has to put the lid/seat down before he flushes. Hopefully this will work out the way I am hoping. My dh leaves a VERY neat bathroom, so I know it is possible.

 

All this persnickityness is for his own long term survival because he has THREE older sisters whith whom he will be sharing a bathroom. I doubt they will tolerate the mess!

[springmama]

FUNNY!!!

 

Actually, I am training him to clean up after himself. I grew up with 2 brothers and GUESS WHO GOT TO CLEAN THE BATHROOM EACH WEEK!!!!

 

GAH!

 

I make sure he wipes around the rim EVERY time he potties and he has to put the lid/seat down before he flushes. Hopefully this will work out the way I am hoping. My dh leaves a VERY neat bathroom, so I know it is possible.

 

All this persnickityness is for his own long term survival because he has THREE older sisters whith whom he will be sharing a bathroom. I doubt they will tolerate the mess!

 

Good idea. That is what I should do. Maybe I'll go buy some of those clorox wipes and teach him to do that.

[wapiti]

I've potty trained three kids under age two, within two weeks, by using this method:

 

pull up at bedtime/naptime

no pants the rest of the day

cloth training pants with rubber pants on top for errands

 

My first son was a different story because my ex wasn't okay with no pants and it took me a while to figure out how to train him.

 

Same system here, but the kids were older (3, 3 and 3.5). Naked from the waist down. Great in summer if you have privacy in the backyard. Great to have hardwood floors. Took about a week. This worked for my strong-willed children with histories of sensory issues.

[flobee76]

I am going to watch this thread... DS is 3 and has no interest. His oldest sister was trained by 20 mos. His younger sister is asking to go potty. She even pooped in the toilet 2 days in a row...

:lurk5:

[fairfarmhand]

Good idea. That is what I should do. Maybe I'll go buy some of those clorox wipes and teach him to do that.

 

just don't flush them...they will either stop up your toilet or cause trouble down at the wastewater treatment plant. Most people don't even think about it, but those suckers DON'T break down.

 

(my dh works for the local water dept)

[KrissiK]

My three were all so different. My last one, my only girl wasn't trained till after 3 yrs. old and that was only because I finally figured out she was conning me. One Sunday afternoon she'd soaked her pull-up while sitting on my lap, so I said I'd had it and said the next day she was wearing nothing. She talked me into panties and after that, she was good. She's 4 yrs. 7 months now and still in night=time pull-ups. Don't get me started on that. We tried getting her out of them and every time we'd get up in the middle of the night she'd already wet and she'd throw a fit and hold on to the bed and cry and scream when we tried to change her. So, she's still in pull-ups. Anyhow, back to one of your original questions - when we were training I always had them in pull-ups when we went out. Kids very rarely (at least mine don't) tell you when the urge is coming upon them. They tell you when they have to go.... NOW! And sometimes that's not a great time. Anyhow, that's our experience.

[Sherry in OH]

I am going to watch this thread... DS is 3 and has no interest. His oldest sister was trained by 20 mos. His younger sister is asking to go potty. She even pooped in the toilet 2 days in a row...

:lurk5:

 

Just don't hold someone else's baby. In fact, do not pay any attention to another baby in your child's presence. My youngest was showing all signs of being ready until I held a friend's baby for a few minutes while she attended to an older child. My son quickly declared that he was mommy's baby and that babies wear diapers. Six months later he is still in diapers and has zero interest in potty training.