You guys! It is official! We are done with diapers! We still use them during nap and bed times but Ryder is staying dry all day! I'm so proud of him! I'm sure that when he's older and he reads this that he won't be my biggest fan. So I will try to do this post without any embarrassing details or pictures. Sorry, Ry!
Before I had Ryder I worked in daycare centers. For nine years I potty trained (with help from my coworker and parents) close to one hundred children. So I had a small idea of what works and what doesn't. And while some methods may work for one child, they may not work for another.
We started off very young with Ryder. Ever since he was an infant we would talk to him about what was happening while we changed his diaper. Every time that he would see himself go pee such as in the tub or on the toilet (or spraying us during a diaper change) we would tell him and be excited about it. "You are going pee! Yay, pee pee!" Around the fifteen month mark we began having Ryder sit on the toilet (no child's seat) on occasion. We always allowed him in the bathroom to watch us go and help us flush the toilet. He was never afraid of the sound or the toilet, so I knew we would just train him on the big potty. If your child is afraid of the toilet or the sound, I would suggest using a child potty. I personally like this one and this one.
When Ryder was about eighteen months he started to go pee every single time we sat him on the toilet. We immediately bought him a potty seat so that he wouldn't slip in and we didn't have to hold him. But he still wasn't telling us when he had to go. So we worked on catching him in the act. This wasn't always easy but around twenty-one months he started to grab his diaper when he would start to go. We would tell him "Potty!" and together run into the bathroom. Then we hit a few big speed bumps. Illnesses, teething, family vacations, and potty training just became a second thought. Now that he is 2 1/2 we really wanted to push the training. We knew he was ready and chose to start day one in January.
Sure, there were accidents. There still are, and that is just fine! Learning to use to potty is hard work! The first few days he did excellent! One accident in the afternoon, mostly when Seth or I got distracted with dinner or cleaning. He was able to hold it and use the toilets when we ran errands. He does still fight me a lot. Normally, when he just wakes up from his nap he is so cranky. I let him wait a few minutes then we go into the bathroom. There is usually tears so I try to entertain him or bribe him. ;)
Sure, there were accidents. There still are, and that is just fine! Learning to use to potty is hard work! The first few days he did excellent! One accident in the afternoon, mostly when Seth or I got distracted with dinner or cleaning. He was able to hold it and use the toilets when we ran errands. He does still fight me a lot. Normally, when he just wakes up from his nap he is so cranky. I let him wait a few minutes then we go into the bathroom. There is usually tears so I try to entertain him or bribe him. ;)
Some of my tips for potty training:
- It takes time. Not every child can "get" it in three days.
- You will do a lot of laundry and cleaning.
- Let them watch and learn young.
- Talk to them about what is happening. Don't be embarrassed, they need to know.
- Wait for them to be ready!!
- Be excited for every little thing.
- Do not discipline accidents. They will happen.
- Get a special soap just for them.
- Remind them to potty often!
- Relax and enjoy. You're baby is going through a big milestone!
Here are a few of our favorites for potty time!
Hap"pee" potty training!
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